Daddy's Little Girl
by JediMagnet09
Summary: Sam starts a family while at Stanford and swears that he will protect the small center of his universe with everything he's got, even if Dean and John won't answer his calls, demons are gathering, and a few hunters want his head on a platter...
1. Prologue

Here's some fantastic mom!Mary for you! I hope you enjoy this new story. I planned it all out last night, chapter by chapter and...it's going to be a lot longer than I thought it would. I think it's like 16 chapters or something. O.O

By the way, I forgot at the end of my last story to credit the lyrics I used to Bon Jovi. They are not mine. I wish I could write lyrics like that. I'm...not a poet. At all. :) And the title of this story is also the title of a song by...I think it's the Mills Brothers... (I have a real title! It's the apocalypse!) :)

Please review! :)

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><p>"Dean, baby, it's time for bed." Mary smiled down at her oldest son, who was sitting beside Sammy on his blanket, making faces at him.<p>

"I'm not baby! I'm a _big brother_." Dean flashed an adorable grin up at her.

Mary laughed. "Of course, I'm sorry, Dean. It's still time for bed, though."

Dean pouted, but Mary shook her head. "Nope. Come on. I'm putting Sammy to bed too."

Dean's face brightened at that. "Can I help?" Without waiting for an answer, Dean stood, then bent over to pick up Sammy.

Mary winced at that. She loved her boys, she did, and she even trusted Dean with Sammy. The boy was amazingly careful and gentle for a four year old, but...it was still nerve-wracking to see such a small boy picking up an even smaller one.

Dean had Sammy cradled against him a second later, talking a mile a minute about all the things they were going to do the next day.

"We're gonna go to work with daddy and we're gonna teach you to crawl and do somethin' besides _lay there_ all day, cause that's gotta be boring, and we're gonna eat lunch and dinner and I bet momma will make _pie_ for us and we're gonna go _fishing_ and we're gonna watch scooby doo an-and we're gonna watch jerry beat up tom an-an' we're gonna..." Dean was thinking hard now, apparently having run out of things he wanted to do.

Mary shook her head. _Fishing? Where did that come from? And 'beat up' where did he learn __**that**__? Maybe letting them watch Tom and Jerry wasn't a good idea... _

Dean walked slowly and carefully towards Sammy's bedroom, still talking, though he had moved on to the latest episode of scooby doo.

When Dean got inside Sammy's bedroom, he paused, looking up at his mom. "You can take him now."

Mary smiled. "Oh, I can? Thank you." _He's going to be a handful as a teenager._

The mother laid down her youngest son in his crib, smiling down at him, though the kid was already mostly asleep.

As amusing as it was, Dean's stream of consciousness talking always seemed to ease Sammy to sleep at night.

Checking to make sure the window was closed, Mary shut the light off, then quietly closed the door behind her.

Dean was already in bed, John sitting on the bed beside him, smiling as Dean described all the things they were doing tomorrow.

"Alright, Dean. Time for bed, kiddo." John announced the moment he saw his beloved wife.

"Love you, daddy, mommy."

"Love you too, babe."

"Love you, kiddo. Sleep tight."

Dean snuggled into his pillow and was snoring a second later.

John shut the door behind them, turned to Mary and flashed her a smile, then wrapped an arm around her waist, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Let's get to bed. I've gotta get up early in the morning."

...

Mary started out of bed an hour later.

A horrible feeling was growing in the pit of her stomach, every fiber of her being screaming at her. _Something is wrong. _

She climbed out of bed, shaking John a little. "Something's wrong, John."

She didn't wait to see if he woke, didn't wait for him at all, already heading out the door, breaking into a run towards Sammy's room.

Throwing the door open, she froze at the scene before her.

A demon, yellow eyes flashing in the dark of the room.

_Oh no._

Three or four steps away from Sammy's crib and approaching fast.

She gasped aloud and the demon glanced over at her, pulling to a stop in his movement towards her youngest baby.

"Demon."

The demon grinned. "I'm flattered. You know your stuff, then, hmm, Mary Winchester?"

"Stay away from my baby." the irate mother growled.

The demon laughed softly, amused. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill little Sammy here. He might not look like much now, but someday he will be a formidable enemy to my purposes. I like to nip things in the bud and I think I'm going to end the problem before it begins."

Mary scowled. "I won't let you touch him."

The demon laughed aloud. "What exactly are you going to do?"

Mary drew on training she had desperately hoped to never have to use again, depending on it now to save her baby, save her family.

She was moving rapidly, flinging the contents of the now open bottle of holy water in the demon's face.

_Thank heavens I hid a bottle in each room._

It screeched in pain, taking a few rapid steps back.

Mary dashed to the crib, her only thought now of her baby, her vulnerable child, who would die if she didn't do something.

When she felt the pull of the demon's power on her, she knew she wouldn't be the one to save Sammy.

"JOHN!" her scream was loud and desperate.

Pounding footsteps were heard a second later.

Mary felt herself slam into the ceiling, mouth open in a silent scream of agony as her middle was split open by the demon's furious power.

John appeared in the doorway, glancing around the room, then freezing and looking _up. _

"Mary."

A horrified whisper.

Her eyes slid to Sammy's crib and, tears in his eyes, John got the message.

He pulled their now crying baby out of the crib.

_Oh I'm so sorry John._

Flames suddenly licked at her white dress.

Burning.

Pain.

Darkness.

...

**About 19 Years Later...**

_Hi you've reached Dean Winchester's phone. If this is an emergency, leave your name, number, and the details of your problem, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. If it's not an emergency, don't bother leaving a message. Unless you're a girl. Then feel free, baby, I'll get back to you ASAP._

Sam snorted in exasperation at that, then heard the beep.

"Hey Dean. I'm not a girl, but this is sort of an emergency, so I'm leaving a message. I don't know why you aren't answering your phone or if you've even gotten the hundreds of messages I've left you over the last few months. I'm...I'm getting _married_, dude, and _I want you here. _Do you _really_ hate me so much that you wouldn't show up to _my wedding?_"

Sam couldn't keep the hurt out of his voice. He sighed heavily, trying to pull himself together.

"The wedding is in an hour, Dean. I've snuck away to leave you one last message, just...just in case. I...I wanted you to be the best man, Dean. Why aren't you here?"

Another sigh.

"Anyway...I got ot go. Hope you make it, man. If you don't...I hope you have a really freaking good excuse."

**4 months later...**

_Hi you've reached Dean Winchester's phone. If this is an emergency, leave your name, number, and the details of your problem, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. If it's not an emergency, don't bother leaving a message. Unless you're a girl. Then feel free, baby, I'll get back to you ASAP._

The message wasn't as amusing this time as it had been the first time or even the hundredth time.

"Dean, you #$^$, #$$%#, #$#%^#, why won't you answer your #$#%#$ phone! I..."

Sam cut off, taking a deep breath.

"Alright. Alright, I'm sorry. I should have just given up by now, I suppose, but...crap, Jess is pregnant. I'm going to be a dad! I...I need you here, man. I'm excited, but I...I'm scared too. Yeah, I know, you'll probably call me a wuss, but _crap, _I'm gonna be a dad!"

He paused.

"Please call me, Dean. I think I'm worrying Jess. Please Dean. Call me. Number hasn't changed, dude."

**14 months later...**

_Hi you've reached Dean Winchester's phone. If this is an emergency, leave your name, number, and the details of your problem, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. If it's not an emergency, don't bother leaving a message. Unless you're a girl. Then feel free, baby, I'll get back to you ASAP._

"Dean! Oh gosh, Dean, there was a demon in the baby's nursery! J-Jess came in and found it. Her...Her scream was...gosh I thought that was it for a while...I...everyone's fine, though, I...I managed to fight it off and I got both of them out, but our house is gone. E-everything's gone. We can't stay here, there are more demons coming. J-Jess is frightened, the...the baby won't stop crying..."

Sam cut off a sob that he was sure made it through the phone anyway.

"Man, I need to know where you are! I need help! _Please_, Dean! Crap, I gotta go. Dean please call me!"


	2. Chapter 1

Hey all! So, here's the next chapter! won't let me respond to any of the reviews (it's so ridiculous!), but I appreciate all of them and you guys rock!

I want to apologize to the reader that mentioned she's happy Jess is alive. I...yeah, no spoilers, but...I apologize. {wince}

So, um, yeah! Hope you enjoy! :)

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><p><em>The bright flash of headlights had Sam looking up, eyes widening as he realized... <em>

_"SAM!" Jess' scream resounds in his ears, his heart swelling with quick grief and horror that she has to watch this. _

_He's holding the baby, oh gosh, he's holding their baby! _

Sam woke with a start, his eyes flying open, his heart pounding, covered in sweat. It took him a moment to tune in to his surroundings, but once he did it was clear what had woken him up.

Ellie was crying again.

Sighing softly, Sam pushed himself up out of bed, exhaustion clouding his mind, making it impossible to think, but this didn't require thinking anymore, he could (and did) do it in his sleep.

Scooping Ellie out of the small pile of blankets she was wrapped in, Sam laid her on the opposite bed that he couldn't stop getting no matter how many years had passed since he had stayed with his brother and father. Habits died hard.

Changing her diaper took barely a minute, no matter how exhausted he was, but helping her fall back asleep seemed to always take longer.

Sam lifted the tiny form up off the bed, cradling her against his large form, the contrast between the two of them never so great as it was at that moment.

Sam was tall and fit, towering above almost everyone he came into contact with, strong and in good shape, though he looked more unhealthy now than he ever had, for several reasons. The constant running, constant fear, with little to no sleep on a regular basis was wearing him down.

His baby daughter, Ellie, was absolutely tiny, even for her age, a soft covering of beautiful blonde hair on her head, her drooping eyes the perfect match to her daddy's. He saw Jess every time he looked at her and it was both wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time.

He missed her so much.

Sam slowly rocked Ellie back and forth, swaying to a constant rhythm, keeping a steady stream of soft speech going. It always seemed to ease her to sleep: hearing her dad's soft voice. He could have been talking about the history of Rome for all she would know or care. It didn't make a difference to her.

She was the only thing that kept Sam going through the horrific grief, overwhelming fear, and blatant despair that seemed to blanket him constantly.

In minutes, the baby was asleep. Sam eased her with great care down into the small portable crib he had bought what felt like an eternity ago, waiting for a moment to make sure she stayed asleep.

Assured of his daughter's peaceful slumber, Sam stumbled tiredly over to the door, then window, checking the salt lines on the ground and sill and the devil's trap that resided on the ceiling over the door and window. It was protection he laid every night no matter where they were or how late they were getting there. It had saved their lives more times than he could count.

Sam finally managed to get back into bed, his heavy eyes drooping closed almost immediately.

_Jess. I wish you were here. I miss you so much, baby._

...

"Hey Sam. I, uh, I have some news, man."

Sam paused at the tone, frowning, fresh despair filling his chest, rising in his throat, nearly choking him. _Oh no. What now?_

"What, Brady? What happened?"

"Jess'...Jess' parents died yesterday."

Sam froze, sure his heart had stopped. "_What?"_

"It was...it was bad, Sam. They were...they were torn apart, it was...was a mess, man. The cops said it was violent. They don't have any suspects yet. They...uh...they said the whole place smelled of sulfur. Random, huh?" Brady's voice was strained, clearly aware of what this news would do to his torn up friend.

_No. No. NO! They were supposed to be safe! Why would the demons go after them? They don't...they didn't know anything. _

"Sam?"

"Y-yeah. Yeah, Brady, I'm here."

"I'm really sorry, Sam. I know how much they meant to you, especially after..."

"Yeah. Yeah. It...It'll be okay. It will."

"Well, I-I gotta go man. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. Not your fault. Thanks for telling me, Brady."

"Bye, Sam."

"Bye."

Sam sunk down onto the bed behind him, his whole body shaking.

_They...oh, gosh. I'm so sorry, Jess. _

Memories of the kind couple that had taken to him so warmly when he and Jess got married, that had been there for every wonderful, yet hard, moment that his family had missed. They hadn't deserved such a...

_Oh gosh. _

_I'm so-sorry, Jess. _

...

Minutes passed like hours and it felt like an eternity later when the door suddenly burst open.

Despite his exhaustion, Sam was already moving, grabbing the bottle of holy water he always kept near him and flinging it at the demon, latin already pouring off his tongue.

They always came in _at least_ pairs and he didn't want to be dealing with this one when the other one came.

The demon screeched, black smoke pouring from his mouth, the host collapsing bonelessly to the floor, just as his partner came rushing in the door.

The stuff was already in the car, everything was ready, Sam knew.

Two large steps had him next to the second bed, where Ellie was lying, wrapped in blankets so she didn't roll off or something.

Scooping her up and tucking her carefully and safely in one arm, shielding her completely from the outside world, Sam didn't bother to deal with the other demon. More would be coming.

He had to move.

Sam turned his face away and slammed his elbow into window. The cheap glass broke easily, though not without pain.

In seconds, Sam was outside, sprinting to the car and diving into the driver's side, taking only a moment to set the baby in her car seat, buckling her with one hand, while shutting his door and starting the car with the other.

He roared out of the parking lot three minutes after the first demon had broken down the door.

"It's okay, Ellie. It's okay. It's okay. It's all over, baby. It's going to be okay."

Sam wasn't sure who he was trying to convince.


	3. Chapter 2

Well, here's the next chapter! I still can't respond to reviews thanks to . Not sure what's going on there. But I really appreciate them all and I read every single one of them!

I had this written last night but it wouldn't load the document! Ugh! hates me! :)

I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! We finally get to find out a bit about Dean and John. :)

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><p><em>The bright flash of headlights had Sam looking up, eyes widening as he realized... <em>

_"SAM!" Jess' scream resounds in his ears, his heart swelling with quick grief and horror that she has to watch this. _

_He's holding the baby, oh gosh, he's holding their baby!_

_Die. They are both going to die. _

_**Jess. **_

_Small hands at his back, stumbling forward, hitting the pavement hard, shielding the baby in his large arms._

Sam started awake, gasping, sheets twisted around his sweating form.

_Crap. _He was so tired of the nightmares.

Sam didn't even realize the baby was crying again until he was already half-way to her portable crib, some part of his mind always actively tuned in to her, aware in a way that was just too exhausting for the rest of him.

He hadn't slept well in so long.

However, he was as gentle as always as he picked Ellie up. Diaper was clean, Sam noticed dimly. She must be hungry then.

Sam heated up a bottle, sitting on the edge of the bed and offering it to her, helping her hold it, her eyes drooping in minutes, the warm milk making her drowsy.

Sam cooed softly to her, stroking her cheek with one large finger, managing a small smile for her, even as his heart broke at the sight of her. She was so _Jess_.

_I wish Jess was here. She would love every minute of this, getting up late, all of it. _

"She loved you, Ellie. You know that? Your momma loved you with everything she had. You didn't know her very long, but I'll make sure you know that about her, if nothing else."

Sam took a deep breath, forcably restraining the tears that threatened to fall.

"Bed time, baby."

As was his habit, Sam kept up a steady stream of softly spoken nonsense, he really had no idea what he was saying, his whole focus on the drooping eyes of his beautiful baby girl.

He covered her up, waited a moment to make sure she was really asleep, then turned back to face the room.

He couldn't go back to sleep. He knew himself well enough to just be able to tell when sleep was going to evade him and tonight was another one of those nights.

_Three hours of sleep total. A new record. _

Pulling out his laptop, Sam continued his constant research.

_There has to be a way. There has to be. I can't do this forever. I can't. I have to...I have to do something. There's got to be __**someway**__to get rid of the demons. Someway to get them to leave us alone. _

_I'll find it. _

_I promise you, Jess._

_I'll find it, if it's the last thing I do._

_Our baby __**will**__ be safe._

...

Dean paced back and forth in Bobby Singer's living room, his whole being radiated anger and frustration.

He was bored.

Worse, he was worried.

It had been so long since he talked to Sam. So long.

He missed his baby brother fiercely, more than he could ever express with words alone.

Dimly, he was aware of his dad and Bobby talking in the kitchen about some random hunt they had just gotten back from the week before.

Hunting had really slown down for them.

Under the circumstances, they really didn't have much choice.

...

"Dad."

John turned to look at Dean, who was suddenly standing at the threshold of the kitchen, the same desperate look of worry on his face.

"You're sure this is the best course of action?"

The question didn't surprise John.

His sigh was patient, if slightly frustrated. "Dean, those hunters don't know that Sam exists. If we contact him, go to him, he will be put on their target list. You know he's safe at Stanford. Those people are a perfect cover. They don't know he exists. We need to keep it that way. Besides, it's not as if the kid has any reason to contact us anyway."

Dean sighed now. "But we wouldn't _know_ if he did. Losing those phones..." Dean ran a hand through his hair. "I just hope he's okay."

"He's fine, Dean. He chose to leave. He's where he wants to be. Why don't you go take a run or something? Staying low at Bobby's is just driving you crazy, kid, you know that."

Dean nodded, heading out the door. By unspoken agreement, he stuck to Bobby's property and started jogging.

_Dad really knows how to make friends. _

Dean didn't think he would ever forget what had happened.

A new friend of John's had asked for their help. He and his three sons hunted together as well.

_Sam thought __**he**__ was overprotected? He should have seen this kid. _

Dean couldn't quite pinpoint where it had gone wrong, but it had and it had gone wrong quickly, so quickly it had left everyone reeling.

_The death was violent. Not too slow, I suppose, but...unpleasant. _

Dean shivered.

_And so bloody. _

Dean wasn't a squeamish man. How could he be, considering his line of work? But this had gotten to even him.

Their new, now ex, friend had been furious, along with his two boys.

A bridge burnt, Dean and John had been unset, but they would deal. They had other friends. And both were sorry for the death of the youngest, but it hadn't been their fault. Things just went wrong sometimes.

But grief did funny, horrible, things to people.

Dean tried not think about how much that applied to his family, as well as to the group of experienced hunters that had chosen new targets.

The Winchesters.

The only bright side was that Sam was safe at Stanford. As much as Dean missed him, as much as Dean regretted the way Sam had been kicked out, regretted saying nothing and letting his baby brother go on such harsh, heartbreaking terms...he couldn't regret the fact that Sam was safe from the jerks that were now hunting him and their dad.

_I just hope dad's right. _

_Please be safe, Sammy. _


	4. Chapter 3

Hi! I decided to post this since I had it written. Might even be another one coming tonight if I'm really in the mood! Definitely tomorrow though, if not tonight!

Anyway, here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy! Still can't respond to reviews thanks to , but hopefully will be fixed soon... :)

Sorry it's so short. :)

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><p><em>The bright flash of headlights had Sam looking up, eyes widening as he realized... <em>

_"SAM!" Jess' scream resounds in his ears, his heart swelling with quick grief and horror that she has to watch this. _

_He's holding the baby, oh gosh, he's holding their baby!_

_Die. They are both going to die. _

_**Jess. **_

_Small hands at his back, stumbling forward, hitting the pavement hard, shielding the baby in his large arms._

_The baby was screaming, loud and upset. _

_Sam jerked around, the screeching of brakes filling his ears._

Sam's eyes flew open, he jerked out of bed, barely stopping himself from falling out of bed.

He glanced blearily at the clock. _Ugh. 2 hours. _

Sam lay and stared at the ceiling, but sleep wouldn't come to him, despite his exhaustion.

...

"ANSWER THE QUESTION!"

The demon jerked, finally having reached its breaking point a few minutes before.

"Why are you #$%# targetting this kid? What's up with him, makes him so special?"

The hunter paced back and forth, a military style hair cut and plain clothes making him look the part of the former military hunter that he was.

His two remaining sons stood nearby, faces cold, watching the demon struggle and hiss in pain.

"His name is Samuel Winchester...he...he has an important destiny. Trouble...trouble for my kind. The supernatural world fears him. He has been marked for death before he and his child become the master hunters they are both destined to be."

The hunter, however, had stopped listening at the last name. _Winchester._

"Winchester? As in a son of John Winchester?"

The demon's brows furrowed, confused, but nodded. "Yeah, the youngest. H-he went to college, out of contact with his family."

The hunter glanced back at his sons. They were watching him, knowing matching glints in their eyes.

All had the same thought.

_The youngest. Doesn't that just fit perfectly._

Matthew Harris had one purpose in life: avenge his fallen youngest son, fallen because of _John Winchester_ and his brat son, Dean.

"Dom, Mark. You know what to do. I've got a call to make. Meet me outside."

The two young men nodded firmly, glancing at each other for only a second, then approaching the demon, even as their father strode purposefully for the door.

The demon's screams echoed behind him, then silence.

Mark and Dom came out a moment later.

Matthew, their father, was waiting.

"Alright, boys. We have a new hunt: Samuel Winchester. No better way for revenge, don't you think? Perhaps we can use him to draw the two cowards out of hiding. Or maybe we'll just kill him."

Both young men perked up at that.

"Whichever you choose, dad."

Matthew grinned.

"Let's get started."

_..._

Sam sighed as he glanced at the clock.

_A whole night without sleep. _

He stared at the ceiling, mind drifting, trying so hard not think about how tired he was, about how much he missed Jess, about how much he wanted to just curl up in big brother's arms and sob until he couldn't anymore, about how he wished his dad was there to make things better with his stubbornness that had driven them apart yet kept them all alive for so long.

Most of all he tried not think about how his baby girl was growing up without a mother, with a less than adequate father who was so broken, maybe even beyond repair...

_No. _

No, he definitely wasn't thinking about any of it.


	5. Chapter 4

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter! Hopefully some exciting stuff will be happening soon. This should be the last background, catch-up, figuring-out-where-everyone-is chapter. :)

Thanks so much for the reviews! :)

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><p><em>The bright flash of headlights had Sam looking up, eyes widening as he realized... <em>

_"SAM!" Jess' scream resounds in his ears, his heart swelling with quick grief and horror that she has to watch this. _

_He's holding the baby, oh gosh, he's holding their baby!_

_Die. They are both going to die. _

_**Jess. **_

_Small hands at his back, stumbling forward, hitting the pavement hard, shielding the baby in his large arms._

_The baby was screaming, loud and upset. _

_Sam jerked around, the screeching of brakes filling his ears._

_A scream, the harsh sound of a body hitting a car._

_"JESS!"_

Sam burst out of bed, his movements sluggish but surprisingly quick. He froze for a moment, reorienting himself to his surroundings. Just another motel. Just another nightmare.

Sam wiped the tears from his eyes, desperately trying to pull himself together.

_Can't fall apart. Can't. Can't, can't! Ellie needs me, we need to keep running. No Dean here to watch my back. I have to watch my own. Protect what family I have left. Control. _

Sam took a deep breath, then glanced at the clock.

_An hour. Great. No sleep last night, two hours the night before. Ugh. _

Sam was at his wits end, but too tired, too stubborn, or too _both_, to know it.

_I'll be awake anyway. Might as well keep driving._

...

"Bobby Singer."

"Bobby, we've got trouble. You know those hunters you asked us to keep an eye on?"

"Yeah."

"They found out about Winchester's youngest."

"_What? How? _Where are they?"

"It's a weird story, Bobby. I did some research, I'll tell you what I know."

...

"DEAN! JOHN!" Bobby's yell had both hunters leaping to their feet.

Bobby came skidding into the room.

"Sam's in trouble."

...

_Oh gosh. Oh Sam. _

The story Bobby told them had Dean's veins on fire with rage. Those _filthy _demons, the _stupid_ hunters.

_Oh Sam. _

His little brother could never win.

"Sam's been on the run. I don't know if he was living with anyone, the article didn't say. As far as I know, he's on his own. He disappeared right after the fire destroyed his home. And now the hunters know where he is."

Dean ran a hand over his face, then through his hair. "Crap."

_I should have checked on him. I should have kept track of him. We should have __**contacted**__ him. _

The only thing stronger than Dean's rage was his guilt.

The only thing stronger than his guilt was his fear.

_Be okay, Sammy. Please, be okay. __**Please**__. _

"Alright. We have to find him."

...

They spent the day following the trail Sam had left. It was hard and it was small, but enough. It didn't take them long to put a plan in place.

A battle was ahead of them and they needed to be prepared.

"Dean, you start driving. Bobby and I will direct you as we find new things. You have to move as fast as possible. You find Sam and bring him here." John instructed.

Dean nodded, turning to Bobby as the older man spoke.

"Your daddy and I will make sure this house is prepared for an onslaught from either side: demon or hunter."

Dean nodded again, already fingering the keys in his pocket, grabbing his jacket, and jogging for the door.

"I'll find him, dad."

_Trust me. I will. Sammy's my responsibility and I won't forget that again. _

...

"Jim."

"Bobby, what's going on? You sound stressed."

"You have no _idea_. Sam's in trouble. Long story short, the boy's house in Palo Alto was burnt down by demons, he's been running from them ever since. And now the hunters that are after John and Dean have found out about him and are after him. Dean went searching for him and is going to bring him back here. I think we need your help, Jim. We need all the hands we can get to get this house in order, especially if we're gonna be fightin' a battle."

Jim was quiet a moment, a sigh the only sign he was still there.

"Alright. I'll be there soon."

Another pause, longer this time.

"I need to make a stop first." Jim's voice was a strange combination of thoughtful, amazed, and excited.

"What?"

"Trust me, Singer, I'll be there soon. You'll be glad I stopped if I'm right."

"Whatever, Jim. You're going senile in your old age."

"There are so many responses to that, but unfortunately not one of them are worthy to leave a Pastor's mouth."

Bobby chuckled, shaking his head. "Your loss, Jim."

"I'll be there soon."

...

_Sammy. _

_Sammy. _

_Sammy._

It was a chant in Dean's head, the only thing that kept him going, kept him from just kneeling in the dust by the side of the road and losing his lunch, his dignity, or both.

_I should have been there. _

_I should have __**been**__ there._

Dean pressed down a little harder on the gas.

_I'm gonna fix this, Sammy._

_I promise._

_Big brother's on his way._


	6. Chapter 5

Hey guys! Time for a new chapter! We finally get some excitement! Yay!

I still can't reply to reviews! I don't know what the heck is up, but I appreciate all of them and I'm glad everyone's liking the story. Yeah, Dean is slow and really should learn not to assume. The Winchesters and assuming don't go well together. ("If we just ignore this, it will go away." "Sam is leaving. He must hate all of us, forget the fact that he hates this life, feels like it's slowly draining him of any humanity has left, plus he's ordered around like a mindless robot by a father who hasn't acted like a father ever. Yeah. He's leaving. Must hate us.")

Sorry. I really love Sam and I feel so bad for him. I really hate John. Dean can be a bit thick-headed sometimes, even though I love him too. :)

Anyway. **sheepish grin** Here's the story.

By the way, I don't really know anything about cars. So. Yeah. Be patient with me.

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><p><em>Sam cradled Jess's limp form in his arm, tears flowing down his face.<em>

_The baby wailed in his other arm, screams and shouts surrounded them, noise and chaos overwhelming._

_Sam only had eyes and ears for his love. _

_"I-I love you, Sam."_

_"No. No, Jess, please."_

_"Sammy."_

_It was a reminder, a painful but clear reminder of the truth they both knew. The time for denial was past. After everything that had happened, they couldn't practice denial any more. _

_"Jess." Sam managed._

_"Pr-protect her, Sam. Please r-raise h-her right, b-be the-there for her. Y-you'll b-be a g-great f-father t-to her, Sam."_

_"Jess. I-I can't do this without you."_

_"Yes. Yes you can. I'll be right there with you. I-I believe in angels, Sam. I'll be o-one. Guardian __over my two b-babies."_

_It was a promise. And Jess, much like Dean, always kept her promises. _

_"I love you, Jess."_

_"I-I l-love y-you..."_

_Her breathing had become labored, each breath a painful fight for life. Eyes drifting, Jess managed one last small smile for her love. Her eyes shut._

_She was gone._

_Sobs wracked the young father as he held his wife and baby in his arms, one loud and distressed in her cries, the other silent, far, __**far**__ too silent._

_He would never hear her voice again. _

_He would never hold her in his arms, alive and well, again._

_He would never see her beautiful smile and know that there had to be a God._

_He was alone._

_Footsteps had him looking up, long habit of being paranoid about other people too hard to break, especially when his vulnerable infant was in his arms. _

_The driver of the car stood near him, watching him._

_Sam felt a shiver down his spine._

_Something felt wrong._

_The driver's eyes flashed black as he smirked. "I missed."_

Sam woke with a start, his eyes blurred with tears, his whole form shaking with barely restrained sobs.

He was so tired.

Tired of not sleeping.

Tired of nightmares.

Tired of being afraid.

Tired of being alone.

Sam forced himself to his feet, checking the salt lines and other protections he had up. He was about to lie down to attempt more sleep, however unlikely it may be, when he felt a shiver down his spine.

_Run, Sam._

Sam froze.

"J-Jess?"

_**SAM, RUN!**_

He had never been able to ignore that tone of voice from his wife, imagined or not. Sam skidded to a halt beside the portable cradle, scooping his daughter up and into his arms, glad that he never bothered unpacking the car at night.

He threw the door open, making out seven forms on the other side of the street, all walking towards the motel.

He didn't have to wonder who they were.

_Demons. _

Sam ripped his car door open, scrambling to start it up and get his daughter buckled in at the same time.

Putting the car in reverse, Sam slammed down on the gas, managing to twist the car around in the small parking lot and gunning it for the street.

He had a very hard time caring about the two demons he managed to hit with his car.

To his surprise, two cars pulled up behind him. It only took one glance to realize that his pursuers had come far more prepared this time.

_Crap. They've gotten smarter. _

Sam was already pushing his small car faster than it should probably be going, but he had to get a head start. He _had_ to lose them. He pressed the gas pedal all the way to the floor, felt the car lurch forward.

The demons matched his speed, close enough that he could see their grins when they slammed the back of their truck into his smaller car sending it heaving forward once more, Sam jerking into the steering wheel, fighting to keep control of the car.

He knew his car wouldn't handle this treatment long.

He had to come up with something and fast.

Spotting the sign to the highway, Sam remembered something his brother had told him about cars once.

He was surprised he remembered the conversation, but it had been one of the few days where he and Dean just _hung out_ and had fun, relaxed. It had been one of the best days of his life and perhaps it _wasn't _so surprising that he remembered it.

Sam, praying his brother, and memory, was right, waited until the very last moment...then jerked the wheel hard and sent the car screaming across three lanes of busy traffic and got onto the highway.

Glancing in his mirror, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the demon's truck hadn't manuevered nearly as fast and had been cut off by the traffic and the truck's own inability to keep up.

Sam turned his eyes forward again and determined to drive for as long as he could.

He had to get as far away from here as possible.

...

Sam ended up on the road for two days solid.

The demons found him three times and each time it was luck and pure chance that let him escape to fight another day.

By the time he felt he had lost them, truly lost them, the car was swerving in the lane, Sam's own shaking hands barely able to keep it straight.

He pulled into a motel and managed to check out a room.

His exhaustion made it impossible for him to notice the old beat up pickup pulling in across the street, three pairs of eyes watching him intently, hatred gleaming from their dark depths.

...

"Please, Ellie. Go to sleep. If you don't fall asleep, daddy will never be able to sleep, and I _need sleep. _It's been too long, Ellie. Your daddy isn't gonna make it much longer. Please honey. Please."

Elie was fussy and Sam was losing it. He was desperate, on the verge of _tears_, exhausted almost to the point of collapse. It had been so long, far _too _long without decent sleep and he knew that if he didn't get some _tonight_ he wouldn't make it. It didn't help that he hadn't eaten properly in days, and adrenaline had run any reserves of strength he had left almost completely dry.

"_Please._" Sam sank to the bed, rocking Ellie, hushing her desperately without success.

Sam never heard them coming.

One moment he was alone, the next, the door was busted open and three men were standing in front of him, a gun pointed at his face.

"Well. Sam Winchester. Can't tell you how _pleased_ I am to meet you. I've been looking for you for a while, kiddo."

Sam just looked up at him, his exhausted mind trying _so hard_ to come up with something, _anything_ about the men before him, but nothing came to mind except...

_Hunters._


	7. Chapter 6

Well, here's the next chapter. Dean finally gets his butt up and does something. :)

Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. Still can't reply. I both love and hate this site some days. {sigh}

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><p>Sam glared up at the hunters, his fingers twitching for a weapon he wasn't currently carrying.<p>

The closest hunter saw the movement and took a step forward, reaching for his babby.

Sam jerked back. "Don't! Touch her and I'll kill you with my bare hands." The young father snarled.

The hunter raised an eyebrow, looking both irritated and amused at the clearly exhausted young man's threat.

He pressed his gun right between Sam's eyes, the metal pressing roughly against the tender skin there.

Sam closed his eyes, praying the hunter wouldn't shoot. He was holding his baby, there was no one to care for her. He didn't know what these hunters wanted, but surely they wouldn't kill an innocent man, an innocent _father_ while he still held his baby.

"Perhaps we should just kill you and make your father think we have you. Or we could use his granddaughter as bait. _She_ won't put up a fight."

The hunter cocked the gun and Sam flinched, but had nowhere to go, nowhere to run.

"HEY!"

The shout had all of them jumping in surprise, all eyes flying to the door.

_Dean._

Sam couldn't believe his eyes.

"Put the guns down." Dean snarled, his strong and furious voice holding much more weight than Sam's exhausted and strained one had earlier.

The hunters hesitated.

Dean cocked his gun, unwavering and steady. "I can shoot all three of you in about three seconds. You won't have the opportunity to fire. Drop them."

The two younger hunters glanced at the older, the one closest to Sam, who nodded reluctantly, hatred blazing from his dark eyes.

They dropped their weapons. Dean motioned them back, pushing the guns away from the hunters.

"Alright. Down on your knees."

The hunters got down on their knees, watching the elder Winchester warily as he stepped behind them.

With three swift movements, he brought the butt of his gun down on the back of each of the hunters heads and they collapsed to the ground, each unconscious.

Sam knew he should probably be doing something, but his brain was foggy and refusing to do anything helpful, as it cried for sleep, for _rest_. He ignored that need, trying to get his blurring eyes to focus on his unexpected rescuer, a man that he had been fairly sure he would never see again.

_Why show up now? After all that has happened..._

Anger warred with relief and the pain of betrayal in Sam's mind and he wasn't sure which to act on.

_Jess is __**dead**__. My baby doesn't have a home, doesn't have a mom. If they had just __**been there**__, maybe none of this would have happened! _

Anger was winning over the others in Sam's mind, a pain, nearly as strong as it had been initially, ripping through him at the sharp reminder of his beloved's absence.

...

Dean knew if he looked at his little brother, he'd lose it.

He'd nearly lost it when he first came in the room and saw Sam, looking like complete crap, eyes closed, gun pressed between his eyes.

He focused for now on getting the hunters out of the way.

Using rope he kept in the Impala, Dean tied them all up tightly, dragging them into the bathroom, vaguely surprised that Sam hadn't said anything or even moved since he arrived. Worry built even more in his chest, and he started to drag them in a little faster. He finally got them all stuffed into the bathroom, closing the door behind them.

_They'll be trapped at least until the maid comes to clean the room. That'll give us plenty of head start. We'll be back to Bobby's long before they can catch up._

Finally out of distractions, Dean turned around to face Sam.

His brother looked awful, sick and pale, exhausted and strained. He was holding his arm in a strange position, but before Dean could get a closer look, Sam stood, swaying slightly.

"Sammy?"

"It's Sam." Sam's voice was completely exhausted, yet still held a sharp hurt and anger that surprised Dean.

He supposed later that it shouldn't have.

"Sam, are you okay?"

"What do you care? I mean, you haven't bothered to answer any of my calls, you haven't checked up on me, I haven't heard _anything_ from you in _years_, and now you just _show up_?" Sam snarled, looking at his brother.

_He called? Crap! I knew that was a bad idea. I should have insisted. Oh, gosh, Sammy, I'm so sorry. _

"I'm sorry, Sammy."

It was the wrong thing to say.

"You're sorry. You're _sorry_. I lost _everything_, Dean! I LOST _EVERYTHING!" _Sam screamed, his whole body shaking with his fury. "And you're sorry."

Sam's bloodshot eyes narrowed, and with two strides he was within reach of his big brother, fist swinging. Dean moved by habit, blocking the swinging arm, pushing Sam back a step, only to have to scramble forward as Sam started to crumple to the floor.

Dean managed to slow his fall, leaning him up against the motel bed, kneeling beside him.

"Sammy?"

The anger was gone, Sam's head leaning agianst his chest, his whole form shaking subtly. He was just too tired to handle this.

"Sam, are you hurt?"

Sam managed a shake of his head, then looked down at Ellie, his beautiful baby, who was staring up at him with wide eyes.

Dean looked down as well, and his eyes widened in shock. "Who's this?"

Sam looked up at him, too tired to be angry any more. "I got married. To my girlfriend, Jess. She...she d-died several months ago..." Sam's voice broke, tears building in his eyes. "This is our daughter. Ellie. Ellie Marie Winchester."

Dean couldn't have been more shocked, staring at his baby brother, trying to contemplate the fact that his brother was a father, his brother had been married, and his wife had died. It was so much to take in.

More guilt flooded the old brother's system. _He tried to call us about all of this. He tried. Oh gosh, this is all my fault._

"Sammy. Oh Sammy. I-I'm so sorry."

Sam hung his head again, trying to hide his tears.

"Why didn't you ever answer you phone, Dean? I must have called you hundreds of times before the wedding, hundreds before Ellie was born and...well, I...I called you a lot after...afterwards too. I needed help. Where were you? Why...would it h-have been t-too much for y-you to answer? Are you and dad really tha-that mad a-at me for leaving that y-you would c-completely ignore all my calls?"

Sam's shoulders started to shake as he began to cry silently.

Horrified, heartbroken, Dean pulled Sam into a gentle hug, mindful of his tiny niece.

"Sammy. Sammy, no. Sam, we had to go underground. Dad really ticked some people off and we haven't been able to contact anyone. We lost our old phones, we never got your messages. We were afraid to call you in case someone got a hold of the message and was able to track you down. I had just gotten word that some of the hunters had found you. I came down here as fast as I could. I'm so sorry, Sammy. I'm so sorry."

...

When the tears finally dried, Dean managed to pull Sam up to his feet.

His baby brother was unsteady and could barely keep on his own two feet.

"Are you sure you're not injured, Sammy?"

Sam simply shook his head.

"So you're not injured or you're not sure?"

"'m n-not h-hurt."

Dean's brows furrowed, but he moved on. "Alright. Where's all your stuff, Sammy? We need to get you packed up and to Bobby's."

Sam looked at him, looking confused as heck. "Um..."

"Your stuff, Sammy? Clothes, anything for the baby, bathroom supplies, anything?"

Sam swayed again, his own brows furrowed. He was trying _so hard_, but he just couldn't _think_.

Dean glanced around the room, and saw none of Sam's belongings. "Sammy?" Dean prompted one more time, wondering with worry what was wrong with his brother.

Sam finally shrugged, looking helplessly lost.

Finally, Dean froze, figurative lightbulb coming on over his head. Everything suddenly made a lot more sense.

"Sammy? When was the last time you slept?" Dean kept his voice soft and unthreatening, determined to start doing things right.

_I'll make amends somehow, kiddo. I promise._

Sam glanced at Dean, blinking lethargically. "Um." Brows furrowing, Sam looked like thinking was actually painful. "Tttwo d-days llleast. Mmmonths sssince I-I go-got a g-good sssleep." His words were beginning to slow. He had finally reached his limit. "Bbbein' ch-chased bbby dddemons...aaaffter Eeellie an' m-me. N-not sssure wh-why. S-so t-tired."

Dean took a careful step forward, grasping his brother's arm gently but firmly. "Okay, Sammy." His voice was cautious and gentle, slow and clear.

His brother was scaring him.

It scared him how vulnerable Sam was, how clear it was that Sam had been at his last reserves.

_If I hadn't come now..._

Dean shoved the thought aside.

_Not now. _

"K, Sammy, I need you to stay with me for just a little bit longer, okay?"

Sam nodded, shuffling to the car, rather reminding Dean of a large toddler.

A huge exhausted toddler who had spent the last months being chased by demons and pushing himself so hard that he literally almost collapsed from exhaustion.

_Right._

"That your car, Sammy?"

Sam nodded.

"Alright. You just come over here. Gonna sit you in the Impala and I'm gonna switch your stuff over, okay?"

Sam didn't even respond this time, just let himself be guided to the passenger seat of the Impala, where Dean sat him down, tucking him in carefully, the baby still wrapped in his arms.

...

It didn't take Dean long to clean out the car.

Sam didn't have much.

Dean had deemed the car seat to ragged to keep and knew it wouldn't fit well in the 'pala anyway.

_Have to grab a new one of those._

Dean sighed as he looked once more over the small car that had been his brother's home, his _niece's_ home, for months. _Oh, Sammy. I'm so sorry. How can I ever fix this?_

...

They drove for several hours. Sam dozed fitfully in the seat, still holding Ellie protectively.

After a while, the position looked so uncomfortable that Dean knew they would have to stop soon so Sam could actually lay down and sleep.

He pulled into the first motel he saw the second he thought they were far enough away to be safe.

Sam wouldn't let go of Ellie, so Dean carefully escorted them both into the motel room.

Sam barely even opened his eyes for the trip, stumbling straight to the bed and lying down, Ellie still in his arms.

"I'm gonna lay Ellie down beside you, okay? Okay, Sammy?"

Sam's eyes opened to slits for just a second, studying Dean, then he nodded, letting Dean move Ellie beside him. Dean took the comfort from his own bed and managed to curl it into a small circle, creating a safe little bed for Ellie, worried that she would roll off the bed or something while they slept.

That taken care of, Dean gently peeled off his brother's boots, unable to resist the urge to brush his finger's through Sam's too-long hair, then went out to the car, grabbing the two bags he thought they would need for their short stay.

Finally able to close the door, Dean laid out the same protections he had seen in Sam's last motel room.

His last task was both easier and harder.

He pulled out his phone to make the call to his father and Bobby, moving into the bathroom and closing the door so he wouldn't wake Sam.

...

"Hey, dad. It's me."

Pause.

"Yeah. I got Sam. But dad...he's in bad shape."

Pause.

"No, he's not physically hurt, though he's completely exhausted. It's been at least two days since he's slept and according to him he hasn't slept well in months. It shows, dad. He's a mess."

A soft sigh.

"That's not all, dad."

A heavier sigh.

"He got married to his girlfriend, Jess. She...she died a few months ago. I don't know how, he was in no shape to tell me, but...dad, they had a little girl. Sam's a dad. Ellie Marie Winchester. Couple months old."

Pause.

"Dad?"

Another pause.

"You there?"

A worried pause this time.

"Yeah. Dad, he's real torn up about it. I've never seen him like this. He nearly lost it earlier. He's hurting bad, dad. He didn't say it exactly, but knowing Sammy...he's probably feeling mighty guilty."

Pause, then a small smile, tears fighting to make their way down the hunter's cheeks.

"She's gorgeous, dad. Ellie is a beautiful baby. Healthy. Sam takes good care of her. Won't put her down."

Pause, a nod, then another nod.

"Yeah. Yeah. We're on our way. The hunters were there, but we lost them and we should be at Bobby's long before they catch up. Demons haven't shown up yet, but Sam mentioned he's been chased a lot."

Pause.

"Yeah. Yeah. You too, dad. We'll be there soon. Bye."

Dean sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.

_We have a lot to make up for dad. I don't care what excuse we thought we had. We should have __figured a way out. _

_I'm so sorry, Sammy._

_But I will make this better._

_I promise._


	8. Chapter 7

Hey guys! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I can't respond to them still. It's ridiculous. The site just keeps giving me a weird error message. {sigh} Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and thanks everyone for reading!

Here's the big reunion! Hope everyone likes it! :)

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><p>Dean started awake, knife in his hand before he had even registered where he was or what had woken him.<p>

It all came rushing back when Sam wearily pushed himself to his feet and staggered around to the other side of the bed where Ellie lay.

Sam looked like he could collapse at any second, but his grip on his daughter was firm as he lifted her. He checked her diaper, then stumbled over to his bag, quietly cooing to Ellie even as he rummaged around and pulled out a bottle, preparing everything with one hand while cradling his baby girl in his arms.

It was fascinating to Dean, who had memories of doing the exact same thing for Sam many years before.

Dean imagined that Sam would enjoy this if he wasn't so tired and so grieved. Some part of him was able to admit to himself that he had enjoyed it even as a little kid, because Sammy had always been his responsibilty.

A blast of guilt had Dean blinking rapidly to hold back tears he would never admit to. _Man, I messed up. I messed up bad. Sammy. I'm so sorry. _

Dean watched silently, pretending to sleep, as Sam fed her the bottle, speaking soothing nonsense to her, despite the fact that he was barely able to stand up on his two feet.

He could tell when Ellie began to drift off back to sleep, because Sam spoke even slower and softer, adjusting his voice with her level of consciousness.

Sam's soft sigh was the signal that the baby was finally asleep once more.

The youngest Winchester laid his daughter back in the circle of blankets Dean had created and barely manged to get to his own side of the bed before he collapsed, already asleep once more.

...

Ellie had been asleep all of three hours when she woke again, crying.

This time, though, Dean was ready, out of bed before Sam had even managed to move a muscle.

Brushing a hand soothingly through Sam's hair, Dean smiled softly, amused, as Sam's eyes began to drift shut again almost immediately at the action.

"It's okay, Sammy. Go back to sleep. I'll take care of her. I know how to change a diaper." There was no doubt in the older brother's mind that that was the problem.

Sam blinked exhaustedly up at him, then his eyes slid shut and he was asleep.

Dean moved around quickly, soothing Ellie himself as he picked her up. She wasn't as comfortable with him as she was with her daddy, but she seemed to recognize him or something about him, because she quieted down fairly easily as he moved around, humming softly, grabbing the diaper and things he would need.

He had her changed in the blink of an eye and the child, nearly as tired as her daddy, was already falling asleep again, as he laid her down in the cradle of blankets.

Job done, Dean laid back down, ready to fall back asleep himself. If this baby was anything like the last one he had dealt with, she would be awake in a few hours again needing something else.

The thought had Dean smiling.

_Never knew I would miss those days. _

...

Dean let Sam sleep in, but he knew they had to get moving.

He had spotted a Walmart on the way into town and had Sam and the baby in the car, their stuff packed, fairly early in the morning so they could grab the few things they needed before heading once more towards Bobby's.

First thing on the list was a proper car seat that would fit the Impala and be comfortable for Ellie.

Dean didn't bother grabbing a basket, not wanting to tie up his hands.

Sam wasn't exactly steady on his feet these days.

Guiding his baby brother along, Dean managed to grab a good car seat, mentally making notes about other things to buy when they weren't running from demons _and _hunters.

...

Sam slept in the car while Dean drove.

His not-so-little brother was like a sleepy toddler when exhausted, limp and pliable, and getting him arranged in the car had been interesting while trying to keep him from dropping to the ground with Ellie in his arms.

Dean had been driving for a few hours when Ellie started to get a little fussy. Desperate to let his brother get some much, _much_ needed sleep, Dean reached back and wiggled his fingers in front of Ellie's face, instantly catching her interest.

It wasn't the most comfortable position, but he had endured worse and Sammy was worth it.

He owed him as much and far, far more.

...

The closer they got to Bobby's, the more nervous Dean got.

His family hadn't been whole for years now and they hadn't exactly left on the best of terms.

That would all change though and it was with this in mind that Dean pulled into the driveway of Singer's Salvage.

John and Bobby were waiting for them on the porch.

Dean reached over and shook his brother a little. "Sammy? We're here, kiddo."

Sam woke almost instantly despite his obvious exhaustion, managing to stagger out of the car and open the back door, pulling Ellie out of the car seat.

As Dean and the hunters watched, Sam smiles down at her, cooing softly to her, eyes lighting up as she giggled softly.

Dean moved around to his side, gently wrapping a firm hand around his arm. "Come on, Sammy. Let's get you inside."

Sam shuffled along with Dean, unaware of the other hunters until he finally looked up at the house.

He froze, everyone else tensing along with him.

His eyes locked on his dad, no one even daring to breathe at this point.

Sam didn't speak, didn't move, and finally John took a careful step forward, putting him directly in front of his youngest.

To their shock of everyone there, he pulled Sam into a gentle hug.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I'm sorry for everything. For kicking you out. For Jess. For not being there when you really needed us."

Something about his son being a father had really drilled into the older man's head that he hadn't exactly been fatherly material for too long now. It was time to fix it.

Completely shocked, and simply needing this from his father, too exhausted to even try to restrain his emotions, Sam hugged his father back, mindful of Ellie, and buried his face in John's shoulder, beginning to cry.

As heart-rending as the sobs were, Dean couldn't help but be relieved. This had been long delayed and a healing, a connection, between the oldest and youngest Winchester was overdue.

John rubbed his youngest's back, assuring him with his calm presence alone that everything would be okay now.

Reality settled back in hard as Sam's legs began to collapse out from under him, steadied quickly and immediately by his father and Dean.

"Sam, I'm gonna take Ellie, okay? Dad's going to take you somewhere to lie down." Sam hesitated, clearly unhappy about leaving Ellie with anyone, so Dean added what Sam needed to hear. "She's safe, Sam. I promise. I won't let anything happen to her."

Sam shakily handed Ellie over, even as John wrapped a firm arm around Sam's waist and half dragged and half carried his youngest inside, nodding at Bobby's brief directions on where to put him.

Dean smiled down at the sleeping baby in his arms.

_Everything's going to be okay._

For once, he really believed it.

...

Sam slept for hours, leaving the hunters with nothing to do but examine the newest addition to the Winchester family.

At least, that was what Dean told himself.

He was sitting on the couch, John on one side and Bobby on the other, all staring down at the child.

Much to Dean's amusement, the baby seemed to be examining him just as much as he was examining her.

His voice was soft, barely audible as he murmured, "She's so _small_."

A pause.

"She has Sammy's eyes."

John smiled, though it was tinged with sorrow.

"And that's gotta be her momma's hair."

Dean glanced up at John, his own grief clear in his eyes and tone.

"What have we _missed_, dad? Gosh, all this time..."

John shook his head. "I know. I _know_."

Dean was startled out of his grieved thoughts by the touch of soft skin on his finger.

Ellie had wrapped a small finger around one of his own. Asleep once more.

...

The baby had been crying for hours. She had slept solidly for about an hour, but the second she opened her gorgeous eyes and realized she wasn't being held by her daddy, the tears and wails started and _nothing_ could calm her.

Dean was alarmed, unsure of what was wrong.

None of the hunters were exactly experienced in child care.

"What's wrong with her? She's not hungry, diaper's clean, she shouldn't be tired..." Dean said.

They all startled when Sam's deep voice reached them from the doorway. "She knows I'm not in the room."

Sam walked up to them, eyes only for Ellie. "Ellie, baby."

Almost immediately, she stopped crying, her eyes looking around for him desperately, holding her small arms out to him.

Sam took her, smiling at Dean, then down at his baby girl.

"She used to cry like that whenever I left for work...before..." His smile dropped, grief and memories flooding his eyes for a moment, before he shook his head and forced the smile back on his face. "She's a daddy's girl, for sure."

Dean smiled in return at Sam's clear happiness and pride.

He examined his baby brother, relieved to see that Sam looked better than he had since they had reunited, his eyes bright and clear, his movements sharp and energetic.

Sam was finally with them in spirit as well as in body.

Maybe they could finally get some things figured out and cleared up.

Heaven knew they had enough questions for each other.

But first things first...

"Hey, Sammy, you hungry?"


	9. Chapter 8

Hey everyone! You all know the drill. I'm ridiculously thankful for reviews and I'm also ridiculously sorry that I can't reply to them because the site never works. :) Please keep up the reviews, I do read all of them! :)

This chapter is a little slow, probably, but more action coming soon! :)

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><p>The mood around the table was solemn. Ellie had gone down for her nap and the hunters were taking the opportunity to do some catch up.<p>

"First things first. Who were those losers that stormed my motel room?" Sam asked, looking puzzled.

Dean glanced at John, who simply nodded. "Well...we went hunting with them a ways back and things went really bad. They hunt as a family, just like we do, and they were all very protective of their youngest. We were helping them out on a hunt and...it didn't go well. The youngest ended up monster food. It was..." Dean made a face. "...bad."

Sam couldn't even imagine what would have to be bad enough to get Dean shaken up.

"They were angry and they blame us. They've been hunting us and we ended up laying low here, trying to give them time to chill out and time to figure out a plan if they _didn't_ chill out."

Dean sighed.

"Obviously, they aren't coming to their senses like we had hoped. We...we thought about warning you, but we were worried they would track us and find you. We thought you would be safe at Stanford, away from all this."

Sam snorted, but managed to hold his tongue beyond that, knowing that Dean really meant that. They had honestly thought he'd be safe. They hadn't had any reason to believe otherwise.

"What about you, Sam? You..." Dean hesitated, trying to find a good way to ask his many questions, a way to ask without bringing out the pain he had seen only glimpses of so far.

Sam looked down at the table, taking a deep calming breath.

"I, um...I dated Jess for a year or two. We...we really clicked you know? It was...it was amazing. She was amazing. Smart, talented, beautiful, sweet. Had a heart of gold, you know? She cared about everyone. She didn't care about my poor background, didn't care that I wasn't some rich snob, she loved me. For me. We, um...I proposed on her birthday. I had...I took her to her favorite garden and we had a picnic. She loved the stars, so we...we just laid there...for hours. Looking at them. Then...then I proposed by the garden lights they had up." Sam laughed softly, tears filling his eyes as the memories flooded his mind. "She started crying and I was so worried I had upset her. Then she was laughing and I was embarrassed, then she was kissing me and..." he chuckled again. "well I felt pretty good after that."

Sam shifted in his seat, eyes staring at the worn old table he was sitting at, lost in the memories he hadn't talked about in ages, almost unaware of his audience. His hands were on the table, one hand awkwardly playing with the ring still on his finger.

The sight of it made Dean's heart lurch in his chest, his brother's love for Jess obvious and deep, especially to one who knew him so well.

_Ah, Sammy._

"The wedding was put together by Jess and her mom. Jess' brothers helped me with a bachelor party and with tuxudos and stuff. The wedding..." Sam shook his head, soft smile on his face. "...was beautiful. It was simple, you know? Jess loved simple things. She didn't need it to be big and showy. That wasn't the point of getting married in the first place. We went to a small church her family had attended for years."

Sam paused, wiping quickly and surreptitiously at his eyes.

"It was about four months later that we found out Jess was pregnant. I was terrified. Excited and...and overjoyed...but definitely terrified. I didn't know how to be a father, I had no idea if I would even...even be able to do it, you know? But...but Jess pulled me through and Jess' dad was invaluable then. He gave me a lot of tips that made Jess' pregnancy go a lot easier than it would have otherwise and...well, he put a lot of my fears to rest."

The unspoken was clear, whether or not Sam meant for it to be so obvious. _You weren't there for __me._

"Ellie was born and...she was so small...I was afraid to hold her." Sam snorted. "Heck, I'm still afraid to hold her some days. She's just so tiny and...well, I'm not."

Sam's eyes darkened as the next memories forged their way to the front of his mind.

"Then things got...bad. I started...I don't know. I had a really bad feeling for about a week. I just...I couldn't relax, I felt on edge. Jess was really worried about me, she just...she had no idea..." Sam sighed. "I remember coming home from work and stopping outside the front door...I froze because something just seemed off and I...I...I smelled sulfur and I just...I panicked because my beautiful baby girl and my lover were in the house _alone_ and I heard Jess _scream_ and I...I couldn't..."

Sam was worked up now, breathing erratic, clearly upset.

"It's okay, Sammy. It's alright. We get it. Believe me, we get it." Dean rubbed his brother's back gently and Sam managed to calm enough to continue.

"I ran. I'm pretty sure the door was still locked when I busted through it. Didn't even kick it, just rammed straight through it. I...I grabbed a bottle of holy water that I always kept lying around, just in case, and burst into the baby's nursery and...gosh, Jess was frozen, facing a demon. He was going to put her up on the roof, she was pinned to the wall and she was so frightened. The baby was screaming and crying, Jess was choking on her own tears and...gosh I thought that was it. I...I went on automatic and I'm pretty sure I just tore that demon apart with my bare hands. I don't really remember much of what happened until after the fire started. I remember grabbing Jess in one arm and Ellie in the other and just running. I piled everyone into the car and we just drove. Jess was frightened, the baby wouldn't stop crying...after a few hours, we pulled into a motel and I got us a room. Barricaded us inside, putting up as many protections as I could remember off the top of my head. Then...well, I told Jess everything. I started from the beginning and told her _everything_. She...she was upset at first. It was so much to take in, but...well, Jess was amazing. She...she took a deep breath, looked me in the eyes, and told me that she loved me and asked me what I wanted to do now. She...she was so strong." Sam shook his head. "I don't even understand how she could have all of that dumped in her lap, have her life ripped away from her and...and still love the one who had brought it down on her head."

Dean threw Sam a sharp look. "Sammy. It wasn't your fault."

Sam sighed, giving Dean an incredulous, but grief stricken look. "I was the hunter, Dean. I was the one who pulled an innocent girl into that life..."

Sam shook his head. "We don't need to argue about that now...anyway, I...we were on the road for months. Jess and I had some money saved up and we managed to live off of that. I did eventually hustle a bit, tried to save as much as I could. Demons came at us relentlessly. I rarely left them alone. We didn't stay in one place for long. Jess was so frightened by it all. Scared that I wouldn't be able to fight them off forever, that the demons would someday win and I would leave her to have to deal with it all alone..."

Sam trailed off, growing silent, lost in memories, his head bowed.

Dean knew what came next in the story, but he didn't know how it happened and he was almost afraid to ask.

But he needed to know too.

"How did she die, Sammy?"

Sam sucked in a sharp breath, closing his eyes against the pain even the words brought to him. "She...I was holding Ellie. Crossing the road. I...I didn't see the car coming until it was too late. The headlights were shining right in my face and all I could think about was how Jess was going to watch her whole family die right in front of her and how I was holding my baby girl, my vulnerable baby girl and I wouldn't be able to protect her from a car...and...the next thing I knew I felt Jess's hands against my back and I was on the ground, out of the path of the car and she was screaming and...her body hit the pavement on the other side of the car."

Tears that Sam had been trying so hard to restrain finally fell, coating his cheeks, a sob tearing from his throat.

"She never should have been able to move me. She was so small and I'm so _large_. I...she _never should have been able to move me_. I...I held her in my arms as she faded away, begging me to protect Ellie. She...she told me she would be a guardian angel for both of us...and then...then she was gone."

Another agonizing sob ripped from the grieving father and husband, the youngest Winchester finally unable to grieve in silence.

Dean quickly crouched beside his brother, wrapping his arms around him, soothing him softly. "I'm sorry, Sammy. I'm sorry."

"It was a demon, Dean. The driver stood next to the car, next to us, grinned at me, and said, 'I missed.' He...crap, Dean, he was gunning for me, and he _killed her_ and it's _my fault..._I'm never going to be able to hold her again...I stole Ellie's mother away from her...I...crap, Dean, it's all my fault. I...I can't do this alone, Dean. I can't do it. I can't."

Dean managed to shush his brother, resorting to clapping a hand gently over his mouth, even while rubbing his back soothingly, pressing his forehead against Sam's, a constant comforting pressure that reminded Sam that he wasn't alone.

"Samuel, I want you to listen to me. First of all, this _was not your fault_. Mothers are the most powerful beings on this planet, including demons and every supernatural #$%% there is out there. Jess was a mother and she loved you both. She gave her life so you could live, so your daughter could live. Sam, she loved you a great deal. It's not your fault. That demon killed her, not you. Second of all, you're not alone. Not anymore. You did a good job, Sammy, now it's time to let us step in. We're here for you all the way, little brother, you hear me? You're not alone."

Sam nodded slightly, slowly regaining his composure, the other two hunters watching silently, solemnly.

Both were all too aware of the power and strength of grief.

Both were determined to help the youngest Winchester bare his without being crushed by the burden.

...

Silence reigned after Sam's confession, until John broke it.

"Alright. So we can assume we have those hunters as well as demons heading this way. The house is as prepared as it's going to be."

Bobby nodded. "Yeah, we've used every spell and protection I know of."

"My only other thought is that we need to know what our course of action is should we get attacked." John added.

Bobby glanced at Sam, who was still staring at the table, but clearly listening, and Dean, who was half watching Sam in concern and half listening to their conversation.

"I think we should use the buddy system." Bobby snorted at his own choice of words, but continued. "Dean and Sam have each other's back and watch the baby. You and me, John, will try to deal with whatever comes first. The boys just have to hold off whichever wave comes second until we can get to them. This may be tomorrow, this may be a year from now. We just don't know."

John considered Bobby's plan, then nodded. "There are some things you can only prepare for so much." he sighed.

Bobby sighed in turn. "Ain't that the truth."

"Well, guess we're as ready as we can be, then."

_Let's hope so. _


	10. Chapter 9

Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter! Things finally start to catch up with our lovely boys! :) Hope you enjoy the chapter and please review! :)

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><p>It was early in the morning when Dean heard the shout, fighting off the remnants of sleep as he leapt out of bed, taking the stairs three at a time.<p>

Sam was in the front yard, grappling with a hunter just about his size. He seemed to be about evenly matched with the hunter, but Dean could see that would soon change, two more hunters running towards them.

He recognized them instantly and didn't hesitate.

"DAD! BOBBY! COMPANY!"

Sam must not have been too rusty a hunter, because the second he heard Dean's shout, he took in his opponent and the approaching hunters, and twisted rapidly, managing to grab the young hunter and flip him over his back, slamming him hard into the ground.

The youngest Winchester was running full blown for the house a second later, where Dean was standing with the door open.

Working as a well-oiled machine, Dean grabbed Sam and pulled him inside, moving instantly to let Bobby and John move out, already heavily armed and prepared to grab cover and begin their fight with the hunters. Sam was already at the stairs, Dean right behind him, both running full out to get to the newest member of the Winchester family from where she was still sleeping in the bedroom Dean and Sam were sharing.

"Hey, hey, baby. You're okay." Sam soothed softly even as he picked a sleepy Ellie up in his arms. Her wide eyes stared up at him, innocent and beautiful, tearing at her father's grieving heart.

Sam took in a sharp breath. "I have to keep her safe, Dean."

Dean grabbed Sam's arm. "We're going to. Come on. Stay behind me, okay? We have to find somewhere safe, but where we won't be cornered."

Dean led the way out of the room, then down the stairs, gun in hand, cautiously peeking around corners, listening for anything out of the ordinary.

"You armed, Sam?" Dean asked softly.

"Yeah." Sam's answer, just as soft.

"Alright, I-"

Dean was cut off as a crash in the back of the house had them both freezing.

"The hunters are still out front with dad and Bobby." They could hear the firing and the shouting.

"Crap."

Dean shoved Sam into an open doorway just in time, a demon suddenly coming flying at them both.

Dean was firing his gun more out of habit than believing it would do any good.

The demon jerked back, but just grinned at the hunter. "That the best you can do, Dean Winchester?"

"Why don't you try this out?"

Dean felt himself pulled to the side, then Sam was flinging holy water at the demon, who stumbled back screeching in pain.

Sam was already streaming out latin, almost tripping over himself in his haste to get it said and just _get out_.

The second the demon was gone, Dean shoved Sam ahead of him and out onto the porch.

The yard was even more chaotic, a mix of their family, the hunters, and the newly arrived demons.

_All at once. Crap, couldn't the demons have waited another day or two?_

Dean continued to shove Sam forward, both keeping their heads down as they tried to make their way over to where their dad and Bobby were crouched, alternating between flinging holy water at the demons that were coming at them and firing at the hunters that were still trying to fight them.

A scream of pain had all the hunters freezing for just a milisecond, followed by an even more horrific cry, "Dom! NO!"

The eldest of their enemy's sons crumpled to the ground, neck falling at a weird angle.

He was dead, a demon standing over him, grinning cruelly over at the horrified father, who sneered furiously at the demon, throwing himself forward at the demon, lost in his enraged grief.

The hunter was thrown back by the demon, hand outstretched.

It wasn't until the eyes flashed yellow that they realized how much trouble they were in.

_That's a high level demon. _Dean swore.

His attention snapped back to the present when he heard Sam give a small cry.

His youngest brother was trying to pull away from a demon's grasp, the demon holding him with its powers, reaching for the crying baby in his arms.

Sam's desperation grew as the demon came closer. "Dean! DEAN!"

The terror in his little brother's voice lit a fire in Dean's veins and he rushed forward, snarling angrily at the unsuspecting demon. "You let him go, you #$% #$%."

Holy water and a swiftly spoken latin exorcism had the demon reeling back, black smoke pouring from his mouth.

Dean grabbed Sam and pushed him forward, hoping to make it to the rest of their family, knowing they would need the backup.

This was out of control.

A voice suddenly rang out through the yard.

"Wait just a moment, Samuel, I want to talk to you."

To Dean's utter horror, he felt Sam being pulled out of his grasp, pushed to his knees in the middle of the yard in seconds.

He was violently pushed, crashing into his dad and Bobby with a grunt of pain, but immediately pushed himself up as best he could, desperately keeping his eyes on his younger brother, so vulnerable even without the baby in his arms.

The Yellow-Eyed Demon moved forward, surveying Sam with amusement in his eyes.

"You are really hard to kill you know that? It's been months, Samuel. I certainly didn't expect it, but you killed every demon I threw at you. I've lost a lot of loyal followers recently thanks to you. Even the ones I brought with me, today. Now I know never to send a subordinate to do an important job." The demon chuckled. "I suppose I should remember not to underestimate a Winchester, even the weakest of them."

Sam scowled up at the demon, the pain in his eyes masked to all but his family.

"Well, surely, Sam, that doesn't surprise you. I mean, you are the youngest, the baby, of the family. You tried so hard...and sure, you kept me away for a while, but...I almost had you with that car accident, Sam. That was pretty foolish of you. The blonde girl though." the demon smirked. "She was mighty pretty, Samuel. Much too good for you. And the way she threw herself in front of that car..."

The demon leaned in close, facing Sam, nothing but contempt visible in his eyes now.

"You know it was your fault. If you had just been faster...if you had just been _better_...but you've never been enough, have you? You weren't enough for your mother, you weren't enough for your father, and you weren't enough to save your wife. Now, you've failed to protect your baby too. You are both going to die and it's _your fault,_ Samuel. That's gotta sting, hmm?"

Dean saw red at that moment, jerking forward. "SAM! Don't you listen to him! It's not true!"

However, a flick of the demon's hand had him frozen in place, unable to move any closer, no matter how he fought against the power holding him.

Sam glared up at the demon and finally spoke. His words were brief, but Dean was filled with pride in them. "Go to #$%."

Yep. The kid was definitely a Winchester.

"I think I'd rather not. Perhaps you can go in my stead though."

The demon stretched out a hand and Sam didn't hesitate, bending over and wrapping himself around Ellie, hoping that somehow he would be able to protect her like he had been unable to protect his wife.

"_Sam..._" Dean barely managed to get the word out, his heart shredding inside of him, his whole being _fighting_, _straining_ against the viscous hold on him, desperate to get to his sibling before it was too late.

_No. No. NO! NO! _

It was no use.

The demon grinned, eyes flashing. "Goodbye, Samuel. Say hello to your mother for me."

Sam closed his eyes, taking in the scent of his baby girl, so much like her mother's, and tried to brace himself.

He jumped at the sound of the gun shot echoing through the salvage yard.

_Wait. What? _

_Why would the demon use a gun?_

_Nothing hurts._

_I'm not dead. _

Sam finally dared to look up and what he saw had his eyes widening in shock.

The demon was on the ground, eyes wide and blank in death, the lingering remnants of shock fading away from his face as he went cold.

All the hunters turned to see a grim looking Pastor Jim Murphy.

_What the heck?_

He was holding a colt.

_No. Not just any colt. __**The**__colt. That looks like...holy crap. _

Sam had read about this gun, but had never believed in it.

"Jim? What the heck- Where- What-...where have you been?"

The pastor grinned at his fellow hunters. "I thought you could use a little bit of backup and since all the hunters I really trust are already here..."

"Where did you get _that? _Is that really...?" John could even finish speaking, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Yeah. Yeah, it's _the _Colt. A friend of mine had it, had been holding onto it for a very long time. And, well, I managed to _persuade_ him to loan it to me."

"You _what?_ How did you manage that?"

The pastor just smiled. "Let's just say I had a little divine help."

The hunters all gave him a strange look, but the conversation was interrupted by Sam's groan as Dean pulled him to his feet.

"You okay, Sammy?" Dean asked, concerned as Sam nearly buckled under his grip.

"Yeah. Yeah, just...just getting feeling back in my legs and...holy crap...he's dead. Is he...is... is this really over?"

Dean suddenly grinned, feeling lighter than he had in ages. "Yeah. Yeah, it's over."

Sam looked a little shell-shocked at that.

"But...I mean...what now?"

Dean wrapped an arm around his brother's waist, guiding him towards the house. "Well, first we are going to get you and Ellie there inside the house."

Sam suddenly tuned in to his small daughter's whimpers and immediately began to shush her, soothing and gentle.

"It's okay, Ellie. It's okay. It's over. Gosh, it's over. We're safe, Ellie. We're safe."

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><p>Ha. He wishes... Poor Sammy.<p>

The story isn't over, guys! We're still not quite there yet. :)


	11. Chapter 10

Hey guys! Thanks everyone for reading and for all the reviews! Here's the next chapter. This one is pretty peaceful and nice and such, but they'll be getting into more trouble soon! :)

I just wanted to respond to several reviews I've gotten about my use of the symbols instead of swear words. I realize it's not quite professional and I'm sorry for those who are bothered by it. My problem is it's in character for them to swear, but _I_ don't swear at all and _this_ was the compromise I could come up with. Think of it as...interactive reading. You can fill in whatever you want. :)

Hope you enjoy the story and, again, thank you for all the reviews! :)

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><p>The atmosphere in the room couldn't be described as anything less than celebratory. The hunters were smiling and laughing, Dean cracking his usual jokes, and Sam making fun of his usual jokes, John and Bobby rolling their eyes and playing along, amused by the antics of the two.<p>

Ellie spent most of her time in Sam's arms, but as the night progressed and she became more comfortable, she went to Dean without a fuss and eventually to John.

Sam was sure he would never forget the look on John's face when he held her in his arms. The tenderness there was something he had never seen directed at him or at Dean. He supposed what they said about grandparents was true.

Ellie enjoyed being held by Bobby, simply because she could play with the cap on his head, which did, her light giggles filling the room with a sweet feeling that could rarely be found there, especially due to the nature of their jobs, what they saw on a daily basis.

Finally, Sam had to peel the hunters away from her, her little eyes drooping, fighting to keep awake.

It was the first night in a while that he had been able to put her down to sleep without worrying about what would happen while he wasn't there, where he could actually leave the room and trust that she would be safe. He could be a father and just _enjoy it_ for a while, because he didn't have to fear that he would fail this beautiful girl like he had failed her mother.

Sam had apparently been standing over the crib, lost in thought, for a little too long. A hand lightly touched his shoulder, making him jump, spinning around. Dean put up both his hands in a "calm down, just me" gesture, and quirked a questioning eyebrow.

The question was clear. _What's taking you so long? _

Sam shrugged, then sighed. _Thinking. _

Dean shook his head, clapping a hand on Sam's shoulder and leading him out of the room. _You think too much. _

...

The second Sam closed the door behind him, Dean was speaking.

"Sam, you know what that demon said today isn't true, right? Jess' death wasn't your fault, and _of course_ mom's wasn't your fault. You did a fantastic job protecting Ellie. She's safe and happy and _alive_, because of _you_. That's all you, Sam. You saved Ellie."

Sam looked at Dean, face unreadable, except for his swimming eyes.

"But...Jess..."

"We can't save everyone, Sam. Sometimes...sometimes we can't even save the ones we love. Jess died because she _loved you_ and I guarantee you that she wouldn't change her decision even if she knew beforehand everything that would happen. She loved you and she loved Ellie. She trusted you and you didn't fail her."

"You think so?" Sam managed.

Dean nodded firmly. "I know so."

They stood in silence for a moment, before Dean pushed Sam lightly towards the living room. "Come on, Samantha. Let's get back before Bobby and dad send a search party for us."

...

"So...what now?"

The hunters had settled now, beers provided by Bobby, enjoying them in silence until Sam finally spoke.

John contemplated the question for a moment.

"I'm going back to the hunt. Mark, Harris' second kid, escaped right as the demons arrived. Matthew sent him off right after they arrived. I think he knew that they wouldn't survive. I need to make sure that he isn't going to do something stupid."

Dean looked grim at that, Sam suddenly pale, looking almost sick. Dean was quick to reassure.

"Don't worry, Sammy. I'm staying with you, wherever you go. I've got your back, kiddo."

Sam had just enough time to flash his older brother a smile before Bobby was speaking up, voice stern and gruff.

"You boys are staying here until you have a firm plan. No use running around like chickens with your heads cut off. Ellie could use a safe place to stay for awhile, anyway, and there ain't no safer place than this."

Sam simply stared at him for a second, looking floored by such straightforward kindness.

Dean was reminded painfully that Sam hadn't seen much kindness recently.

"I...um...thanks, Bobby."

"You're family, boy. No need to thank me."

...

A few weeks passed and a routine seemed to emerge.

John left the very next day, promising to call before and after every hunt he took at least. He more or less kept his word.

Sam did whatever work he could for Bobby around the house and yard, but spent most of his time caring for Ellie.

Dean was quick to take Sam to the closest store and buy some toys and things for his beautiful niece to keep her happy and occupied.

Dean hunted, but only on the weekends. He refused to go very far or even take very difficult hunts. He was aware, in a way he never really had been before, of just how much Sam needed him.

Dean was there almost every day to help Sam through. He stepped in when Sam's grief became overwhelming, forced Sam to eat and sleep, getting up to help Ellie in the middle of the night almost as much as Sam did.

Bobby was a gracious host and had no problem with the Winchester's company, though he was beginning to notice a bit of restlessness in Sam, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the problem.

The kid had been master of his own home for a while now and it was clear he missed it, even if _he _didn't know it yet.

So Bobby began to plan.

He had a few calls to make.

...

One evening, Sam was sitting on the couch, feet up on the table in front of the couch, watching tv mindlessly. Ellie was in bed and he was following soon, but he had needed to unwind a little before he tried to sleep.

He found he had less nightmares that way.

Dean was sitting beside him, not paying any more attention to the tv than he was, but not wanting to leave his baby brother alone either.

The kid was thinking too much, he knew it.

Before Dean could say anything to break him out of his thoughts, however, Bobby suddenly appeared in their line of sight.

"Heads up." he called.

Sam focused on him just in time to catch the keys he tossed.

"What're these?" Sam asked, confused.

Bobby answered gruffly, barely managing to hide his excitement. "What do they look like, idjit? They're keys. I found a nice little cabin about an hour from here that I thought you boys might like." Finding himself about to express "girly" emotions that he would rather not, Bobby added, teasingly, "You're a big boy now, Sam, I think you can handle a place of your own."

Sam wasn't often speechless, but he found he had no words for this. He simply stared at Bobby, open-mouthed, emotion after emotion crossing his face.

"Bobby..." he finally managed to choke out. Hearing the strained tone of his own voice, Sam tried to pull himself together, grunting to clear his throat. "Just that ready to get rid of me, huh?"

Neither of the hunters were fooled, but neither were going to call him on the emotion in his voice either.

Bobby grinned. "I want a little peace and quiet."

Dean finally piped up, grinning himself broadly. "The noise is grating in his old age."

Bobby scowled, even as Sam tried to muffle a laugh. "Watch it boy, or 'old age' is going to kick your butt."

...

They went to go see the cabin the next day.

The drive up was pleasant, Dean playing his music in the car, Ellie in the backseat, Sam relaxing in the passenger seat, Bobby driving his own car, leading the way.

All felt more complete than they had in a long time.

Sam had liked his old car, but it could never compare to the Impala and now that he was conscious enough to appreciate it, he found he had missed the old car.

Dean was just glad the passenger seat wasn't empty anymore. It had never been right in this car without Sam. He loved the 'pala, but she just didn't hold the same sway over him when his brother wasn't there with him.

When Dean finally pulled up in front of the cabin, Sam climbed out of the car, staring at the simple but homely cabin in front of them.

It was quaint and small and just _perfect_.

Sam couldn't move, could barely breathe, memories flashing through his mind.

Dean, concerned, climbed out of the car himself.

"You okay, Sammy?"

Sam nodded, swallowing hard. "Jess would have loved it."

Dean came around to the other side of the car, Ellie already in his arms.

He nudged Sam with a shoulder, offering him a small smile. "I'm sure she would have. Now we can make it a home for you, me, and your lovely little girl right here."

Bobby called out from the porch. "You idjits are gonna give that little girl a big head if you keep callin' her things like that. Get your butts up here and let's take a closer look!"

Dean grinned up at Sam, speaking loudly enough that Bobby could hear him. "You heard the old man, let's go."

"Watch it, boy! I already warned you once! One more time and this 'old man' is gonna kick your butt."

"Whatever you say, old man."

Seconds later, Sam was nearly crying from laughing so hard, Dean's high-pitched squeals as Bobby dumped freezing cold water from the nearby stream down the younger hunter's shirt something that Sam would have to remember to never let him live down.

Yeah. He was home alright.


	12. Chapter 11

Hey guys! I hope you are enjoying the story so far. This is another nice and friendly chapter, no action yet, but it's coming up I promise! :)

So...I was going for (mostly) _funny_ in this chapter. I don't know if it is...but that's what I'm going for... :)

Please review and thanks so much for all the nice reviews about the last chapter! :)

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><p>Sam couldn't have picked out a better home for himself if he had tried. Bobby had thought of everything, had even already put up as much protection on the place as he could.<p>

It was small, but there was a room for him, a room for Dean, and one for Ellie. It had no furniture yet, but Sam knew he could work and save for furniture and anything else they would need.

The kitchen was just the right size for two men who didn't really cook much. They could easily work with what they had.

The living room was cosy, a fireplace ready to be used, even with a small stack of wood ready.

It was perfect.

Bobby and Dean both watched Sam's face as he looked around, pleased by the awe and clear happiness on his face, even if it was marred slightly by a wistfulness that they understood.

Finally, Bobby approached Sam, stretching his hand out.

Sam's eyes widened in shock when he saw what was there.

Cash. Enough cash for him to...do whatever he needed to with.

"Bobby?"

"This is from Dean and your daddy. They've both been hustling double what they need so they could help you pay for furniture and whatever else you needed. Dean's taking you shopping tomorrow."

"Wait, I'm what?"

Bobby ignored Dean's outraged words. "You like her, Sam?"

Sam nodded. "I...Bobby, this is amazing."

Bobby pushed the money into Sam's hand and closed his fingers around it. "This is yours, boy. Keep it."

"What was that about this manly man going _shopping?_ So not happening. No way." Dean's protests were met with an evil smirk from Bobby and a barely hidden grin from Sam.

"Hey! I see that! Bobby, you got me _back_ for the old man jokes already. This is so unfair!"

"You'll live. You aren't going to send your baby brother to go shopping by himself, are you? Knowing him, he'd get cheated out of all this hard-earned money by a little old lady that just looks desperate enough..." Bobby managed to hide his grin this time as Dean stopped, looking thoughtful now.

"Maybe you're right. I can't let all those evil little old ladies get their mitts on Sammy. Ellie could be scarred for life."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Well, always glad to have you around to protect my honor."

"And your wallet."

Sam shook his head, glancing down at Ellie in his arms, who was staring up at him with big eyes.

"Your uncle is crazy, you know that?"

...

Dean flopped down on another mattress, letting out a groan of pure joy. "This one, Sammy."

Then he glanced up, catching sight of another mattress nearby, jumping up and dropping on that one instead.

"NO! It's gotta be this one!"

Sam sighed, amused, shaking his head. "Dean, you've said that about five mattresses now. Pick, dude. Pick _one_. I already chose mine."

Dean glared at him, though without heat. "Not all of us are sasquatches who need to specially order mattresses to fit our huge butts."

Sam quirked an eyebrow.

"That doesn't even make sense."

"You don't make sense."

"You're an idiot."

"I love you too, #$%^."

"Jerk."

...

"You're a girl! Oh my gosh, my brother's a girl!

"Buying _dishes_ doesn't make me a GIRL, Dean."

"They have _swirls_ on them! You're a girl! Might as well add sparkles and cats and you'd be complete!"

"Dean, they _all_ haev swirls and swirls don't necessarily make me a girl."

"Ugh. And you say _I _have a talent for denial."

"This coming from the man who read twilight."

"Because all the girls I was trying to score wanted to talk about it and kept asking me if I liked Edward or Jacob! I needed to study, man!"

"You studied from a teenage romance series about _vampires_ that _sparkle._"

"How do _you _know they sparkle, Mr. Know it all?"

"...Jess liked them. And I have a baby girl. I imagine she's going to like them too. Studying."

"No way. There is no way that girl is going to be dating! Uh-uh, no way! There are way too many losers out there, especially in high school."

"Dean. She's a Winchester. If she _wants_ to, do you think you'll be able to stop her?"

"Handcuffs."

"Paperclip, dude. I'm sure you'll teach her that soon enough."

"Tape over the key hole."

"Teeth and fingernails."

"I'll...I'll...crap..."

"It's okay, man. I'm trying not to think about it, myself. And you just _had_ to bring up high school."

"Not thinking about it. Not thinking about it."

...

The boys took three days to put the cabin together.

They got all the furniture to the house and managed not to kill each other while setting it up. They had bought paint, taking the time to decorate Ellie's room the way Sam thought she'd like. They had the cupboards full with food and enough dishes for the three of them and a couple of guests, should Bobby and John ever come over for a meal.

Overall, Sam couldn't have been happier.

...

Sam managed to get a job, working as a cashier at a growing business in the closest town. His boss was a jerk, expecting too much work for too little pay, but Sam didn't really care at this point, just happy to be getting into some sort of normal schedule.

Dean used the cabin as home base, hunting every so often, but ended up spending most of his time at home, helping Sam, often playing babysitter while Sam worked.

It was a source of playful teasing between the boys, Dean demanding to be paid for his services, Sam insisting that he was feeding Dean and kept a roof over his head. Neither really minded their roles in their small family.

Ellie grew like a weed, showing her dad and uncle in small little ways that she had inherited her father's intelligence.

...

Dean looked up as the front door opened, then closed. "Sam?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"How was work?"

_Oh my gosh, I sound like one of those wives on tv. Ugh! _

Dean carried Ellie into the front room, where Sam was peeling his shoes off, having already shed his jacket.

_At this rate, I'll be wearing an apron and baking cookies in a month! Actually...cookies sound kinda good right now..._

"Sarah quit."

"Oh, you have got to be freaking kidding me! Let me guess...Eric wants you to fill _her _position to and with no raise."

"Yep." Sam sounded exhausted just thinking about it.

"So that makes you...what? His early morning unloader, his accountant, and..."

"Sarah was publicity."

"Ah, and his new publicist." Dean growled, mindlessly trying to keep a squriming Ellie in his arms.

"You forgot my original job: cashier."

"Right."

"DA!"

The two men froze, staring at the child in Dean's arms.

"Da, da, da!"

Sam stepped forward, scooping his daughter up, a bright grin on his face. "Hey, baby, you miss me?"

Dean's eyes were wide. "Holy crap. Her first word."

...

Dean chuckled as he watched Sam play with Ellie, tickling her feet, pulling high-pitched giggles from her, along with her new favorite word, da, which she said almost constantly.

Sam glanced up at him. "What?"

"She is _so_ your daughter."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What is that suppoesd to mean?"

"Dude, she hasn't even thought about walking yet and she's talking. She's gonna be impossible to shut up by the time she's three."

Dean took in the chorus of insistent, _da, da da!_, coming from the small baby, trying to get her suddenly distracted father's attention, and grinned again.

"She's _already_ impossible to shut up."

Sam rolled his eyes. "You're unbelievable."

"I'm awesome."

"You just keep telling yourself that."

...

Overall, Dean was happy because Sam was happy. He might have missed the constant hunting a little, but he was beginning to admit to himself that he actually liked the domestic lifestyle. Mostly because his purpose in life was protecting and helping his brother, but Ellie was part of that too, bonding with her uncle almost as tightly as she had bonded with her father.

Dean was by Sam's side for Ellie's first of everything.

Her first step was one they were both excited about and she was walking faster than either had expected, stumbling after her dad or uncle as they moved around the house doing whatever needed to be done.

She formed a very tight attachment to a soft green blanket Sam bought her when they first moved into the cabin, never leaving a room or the cabin without it.

Both noticed that she refused to be left alone in a room, crying with startling distress whenever she was left behind and unable to follow. Both left doors open whenever it was safe for her to follow, wondering at her almost strange desire to always be by their side.

Dean silently thought that some part of her understood at least a little of what had happened. Maybe Sam's own grief, maybe her own awareness of her mother's absence. Whichever it was, Dean refused to share this thought with Sam. The kid had enough to worry about without worrying that his daughter had some sort of PTSD. There was nothing they could do about it until she got older anyway except reassure her that she was safe.

_I'll keep you __**both**__ safe, baby girl. I promise._


	13. Chapter 12

Hey all! Here's the angst and action I was promising! I'm glad to hear you guys have enjoyed the domestic, happy chapters! I enjoyed writing both of them! :)

Thanks for all the reviews!

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><p>Dean knew it couldn't last.<p>

After months of near bliss, months without some sort of major disaster, some part of Dean _knew_ something bad was going to happen.

...

It started small.

Sam began to run a higher temperature, complained of being hot all the time.

Then he was pale, frighteningly so, shaky and off-balance.

The first day Sam stayed home from work was when Dean began to truly worry.

Sam slept a good portion of the day, though he did try to get up to entertain Ellie, to help Dean, but he was exhausted so quickly, he didn't last long.

It went downhill fast from there.

Sam began to cough. Not just tiny 'I want your attention' kind of coughs, but 'holy crap I can't _breathe'_ kind of coughs.

Soon after that, he couldn't keep anything down, throwing up any food he tried, heck, even _water_ sometimes.

Dean didn't realize how serious it was at first.

Not until he realized he could lose Sam altogether.

...

The second Dean heard the coughing, he stood from where he was sitting at the table, and headed into the living room.

Sam was standing in the middle of the room, hunched over, his whole body jerking with the force of his coughing.

Ellie was sitting nearby, staring at her daddy instead of playing with her toys. "Da? Da?"

Dean gently rubbed Sam's back. "Hey. It's okay. Deep breaths. Just slow it down. It'll be over soon, Sammy."

Sam swayed, still coughing, and Dean found himself growing even more concerned. "Sam?"

Sam's coughing was giving way to more of a gasping, gagging noise, Dean going pale as Sam shook harder.

He was barely fast enough to catch his baby brother as he collapsed, body frighteningly limp.

Silent.

...

The first time Sam passed out because of his coughing was when Dean finally insisted that Sam go to the doctor.

...

"I'm sorry, Mr. Winchester. I just...I've never seen anything like this before. I talked to other doctors, even some out of state ones, but...nothing seems to fit. Especially since you haven't been out of the country and you're up to date on your shots."

Needless to say, Dean was furious. "So what? You're just gonna give _up_ on him? He can't even _breathe_ most of the time!"

The doctor grimaced, looking as lost as he sounded. "I'm sorry..."

"Dean." Sam's voice was soft out of necessity, his throat sore from all the coughing, but his plea was still clear. "Just...take me home, okay?"

Dean hesitated, then sighed. "Alright, Sammy." he then turned back to the doctor. "Alright, just answer me this, then. Is it contagious?"

The doctor shook his head. "No. If it was, you would have gotten sick already."

Dean snorted, restraining the _at least you're good for something_ that he really wanted to throw out, and turned to Sam. He helped his weakening baby brother to his feet and subtly assisted him out the door.

_I won't give up. _

...

Three doctors later, Dean was about ready to scream.

He felt frantic, could barely think straight most days, his worry over his brother growing with every passing moment. He had already stopped hunting entirely, refusing to leave Sam's side.

Sam, for his part, grew sicker each passing hour.

...

Dean rubbed a hand over his face, feeling haggard and run down, wondering if he looked as bad as he felt.

He heard Ellie crying in the other room and was there with a couple quick steps. Ellie wasn't taking Sam's illness well, too young to really understand what was going on, only that _something_ was wrong.

When Dean realized Ellie wasn't where he had left her, he froze for just a moment with temporary panic before heading quickly over to Sam's room.

The phone rang and Dean felt the ridiculous urge to tear his hair out.

"Hello?"

Dean entered Sam's room to see him trying to hold the phone between his shoulder and ear, while reaching down to try to pull a crying, reaching Ellie up onto the bed with him.

He hadn't been able to leave the bed for several days now.

The older brother moved forward quickly, scooping Ellie into his arms and gently setting her down beside Sam.

She immediately curled up against his side, eyes drooping shut.

"What?"

Dean glanced back up at Sam at the incredulous tone.

"Oh for-"

His baby brother visibly tried to calm himself, deflating.

"Alright. Alright. Whatever. Fine."

Sam hung up, nearly tossing the cell across the room, only just stopped by his worried sibling.

"Sammy? Who was that?"

"Eric." Sam grinded out. "He just fired me."

"He _what?_"

"He _fired me._ Apparently, he doesn't have the patience to wait this...whatever this is, out." Sam sighed then, the fight draining out of him. "No. No, it makes sense. He's short-handed, he can't keep me on the payroll if I'm not there."

Dean, however, wasn't so forgiving. "So hire an assistant! Heaven knows you needed one anyway! He doesn't need to _fire you!_"

"It doesn't matter, Dean." Sam's hopeless tone had Dean's brows furrowing.

"Yeah, kiddo, it does matter. When you're back on your feet-"

"Who says I'm getting back on my feet?"

Dean's eyes widened, his eyebrows shooting up. "What?"

"Dean, it's been days, weeks. I'm never sick this long. I...I'm getting worse and we both know it. I can't even get out of bed anymore. I can barely lift Ellie. The doctors don't know what's wrong. Just connect the dots, big brother."

Furious and frightened, Dean grabbed Sam's chin, forcing his exhausted baby brother to look up at him. "Don't. You. Dare. _Don't you __**dare**__ give up on me, Samuel._ Your daughter needs you. _I _need you."

Sam looked despairingly up at his big brother. "Dean. I'm _so tired_. I just...I don't..." _I don't know if I can do this anymore. _

Dean's fury melted away, leaving only his fear behind. "Sammy. Please. Don't give up."

"I won't, Dean." Sam promised quietly. "I won't."

Dean wasn't sure he believed him.

...

"Hey, dad. I-It's me. Um...Sam's really sick. I know you're hunting, but...it's bad, dad. The doctor's can't help. We've...Sam's...Sam is...I just don't know if he's going to..." Dean stopped, trying to take a deep breath. "I need you here, dad." Dean finally whispered and hung up.

...

"Hey, Bobby. Um...no. No, Sam isn't any better. He's...it's not looking good, Bobby. He, um, he sleeps a lot. Almost constantly. Yeah. Yeah. I think...I think you should stay with us for a few days."

...

"Pastor Jim. Yeah. I, uh, look Sam's really sick. Yeah, still. He's sleeping. Yeah. I just...everyone's coming to stay with us for a while. We're...just having one big sleepover. Yeah. Okay. Later."

...

Bobby arrived two hours after he was called, Pastor Jim three hours. John arrived the next morning.

All were rather on the frantic side, prying all the details they could from Dean.

"How's Ellie taking it?"

Pastor Jim's question was the one Dean had been dreading.

He rubbed a hand over his face, glancing towards Sam's open door.

"She won't leave his room without screaming. I think she's scared. I just don't know...I don't know what to do."

The admission killed Dean.

John laid a comforting hand on Dean's shoulder. "We'll figure it out, Dean. I promise."

Dean nodded, happy to let the burden of everything go for a minute or two. Perhaps with four minds instead of one, they would finally get somewhere.

...

Dean had a hard time finding a place for everyone to sleep. He gave Bobby his bed, let John and Pastor Jim sleep on the two couches, while Dean slept on the other half of Sam's bed, Ellie lying between them.

Bobby took over meals, Jim the laundry. John began to research.

Dean was more grateful than he could ever vocalize for the help, beginning to spend his time at Sam's bedside, helping his brother keep occupied and as healthy as possible while awake, as well as keeping an eye on Ellie.

...

The next week, Sam went to sleep and didn't wake up.

Dean waited and waited, aware that Sam slept more than he was awake these days, but when Sam didn't wake at all, Dean felt fear fill him.

A good doctor friend of Bobby's dropped by, set up an IV, then left, no comforting news to give.

He gave Sam another week at most.

"He's just shutting down. I don't know what to tell you." the doctor looked even more grim that the others had, sending a thrill of terror down Dean's spine.

_Come on, Sammy. You said you wouldn't give up. Please._

...

John stood outside, gazing up at the sky, Pastor Jim standing beside him.

"How's everyone doing?" John asked, having been outside for about an hour, trying to clear his head.

Pastor Jim's sigh said more than words ever could. "Dean and Ellie are devastated. Ellie is curled up beside Sam, Dean sitting in a chair beside his bed. Bobby's looking after them both right now."

John hid his face in his hands for a moment, feeling like he was falling apart, just when he needed to be strong for his family. "If he dies, there's gonna be #$$ to pay. I'm not sure this family will survive another death, Jim. Ellie can't lose both her parents. Dean can't lose his mom _and_ his brother. I can't... I can't lose them all, Jim. But if I lose Sam..."

John finally looked up at the concerned Pastor, revealing tears in his eyes.

"...if I lose Sam, I'll lose them all."


	14. Chapter 13

Here's the next chapter! Thanks for all the reviews and I'm still sorry about the lack of response to them. I do read every single one of them, I promise. :)

So this chapter is kinda sad. Brace yourselves! :(

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><p>Dean knew Sam wasn't going to last much longer. He knew it like he knew the sun would rise and set each day.<p>

It was killing him.

The hunters had taken to spending most of their time in Sam's room, almost as if waiting for the inevitable.

A grim silence had taken over the house, a feeling of inevitability that they all hated and were unused to.

Ellie was barely sleeping, crying and unsettled most days. She spent most of her time on the bed beside her daddy, sometimes was held and rocked by one of the hunters in an attempt to get her to sleep, though it rarely worked.

_Please Sammy. We need you._

Every day, Sam's breaths grew more labored.

_Sammy._

Every day, Sam died a little more, taking pieces of his brother and daughter with him.

...

As the morning dawned, a dread filled the heart of each hunter in the house.

Something was different today.

Sam was fading faster and faster with each passing hour and somehow they felt that today was the day.

_Please no. _

Dean sat beside Sam's bed, holding his brother's limp hand in his. Ellie was in Pastor Jim's arms, half-asleep, drifting, fighting to stay awake and failing.

Sam's pulse was slowing. Dean had taken to checking it every few minutes, as if afraid he would miss the moment when his whole world fell apart.

"SAMUEL WINCHESTER! Don't you dare!"

The voice startled the group of hunters, who froze when they saw the flash of bright light and the sudden beautiful form of _Jess_ stepping from it, opposite side of the room from Dean and the other hunters. She was dressed in white, her long blonde hair falling over her shoulders, framing her face.

"Sam!"

She knelt on the bed beside Sam's limp, motionless form, laying a hand on either side of his face.

"Samuel, don't you dare give up. Don't you dare! Don't make our daughter grow up without both her parents. Don't you dare, Samuel."

Bright white tears streaked down the beautiful young woman's face, as she gently laid her forehead against Sam's.

"Sam, please. Please. Don't give up. Please wake up. Wake up. It's not your time."

Dean felt tears streak down his own cheeks, but didn't care as Sam _opened his eyes_.

"J-jess." his voice was weak, barely audible, but he was _awake_.

"Sam. Sam, I'm here, honey."

"Don't leave."

Jess made a small whimpering noise. "Oh, baby, you know I have to."

"I miss you so much." Sam managed, closing his eyes.

"I miss you too, Sam. We'll be together again, I promise. I _promise_. But you have to stay here for now, okay? Our baby _needs_ you, Sam. I need you to be here for her. I know you're tired, I know you don't feel well, but you have to stay here. I'll be waiting for you on the other side, I promise."

Sam hesitated, staring up at Jess' face, then nodded, even as his tears spilled over. "I love you, Jess."

"I love you too, Sam."

Jess gently pressed her lips against Sam's in a gentle, but passionate kiss, lingering for a moment, before finally pulling away.

She took several graceful steps towards Pastor Jim, brushing a hand through Ellie's hair, gazing into the large beautiful eyes that were watching her calmly, curiously.

"Mama?"

The word from the child had everyone gasping in silent shock.

Jess's tears flowed faster as she nodded. "Yes, baby. It's me. You be a good girl, okay? Mama loves you."

Jess stepped back, moving towards the growing light, but paused as she glanced at the hunters.

"This isn't natural." her voice was dangerous, angry and worried all at once. "You need to find the one doing this and stop him. Sam will fight, I've given him a little more strength, but not even Sam's large amount of stubbornness," Her eyes twinkled at that, then grew serious as she finished, "will be enough to save him soon. Please hurry."

With a final beautiful smile at Sam, she stepped into the light and disappeared.

As the room returned to his previous dim state, silence reigned, broken only by the sound of Sam's soft sobs.

Then pattering feet caught the attention of the other hunters.

Ellie had squirmed out of Pastor Jim's arms and was toddling towards her father. With difficulty, the child climbed up on the bed beside her dad.

"Da?"

Sam looked up at his baby girl and forced a small smile, pulling her into his arms, weakly but firmly. "Hey baby. It's okay."

Ellie buried her face in her daddy's neck. "I luh ooo."

Sam froze, pulling back to look at his daughter, tears pouring down his face once more.

"I love you too, baby."

He pulled her back to him, tightly, holding her as if she was the only thing holding him together, burying his face in her hair.

Dean wiped at his face and watched the heartbreaking scene. For the first time in a long time, that warm feeling began in his chest and spread. It took him a minute, but he recognized it, finally, as hope.


	15. Chapter 14

Hi all! Here's the next chapter. It's short, but I figure it's a good little transition and whatever. Hope you all enjoy! Thanks so much for the reviews! :)

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><p>A plan was quickly put into place. Bobby, John, and Pastor Jim all re-doubled their efforts, something niggling in the back of of John's mind that he was getting ready to share.<p>

Dean was staying with Sam and Ellie, trying to keep his younger brother alive till the hunters could figure everything out.

...

"I know who it is."

John's announcement had everyone looking up. Even Sam, weak as he was, still lying in bed, drew his gaze over to his father.

"It's Mark Harris."

The lightbulb came on in every hunter's mind, the fog over the last few weeks events suddenly clearing.

"But why did he wait so long? I mean, it's been months since..." Dean asked, sounding thoughtful and concerned all at once.

"...takes time...t-to build up...some s-spells...ri-rituals..." Sam croaked.

Immediately, Dean was by his side, gently supporting Sam's head while he held a glass to his baby brother's lips, helping him drink to ease the dryness of his throat.

Sam weakly nodded his thanks when he was done, Dean setting the glass back down and returning to his chair.

"Alright. So it's Mark Harris. Where the heck _is_ the kid?" Bobby asked.

John scowled, his face darkening. "That's what we're going to find out."

...

The next evening, the three hunters left. Bobby and Pastor Jim had everyone they knew searching and looking for Mark Harris.

The hunters were determined to find the boy fast, knowing what was at stake.

Dean's final, whispered, words to them all had lit a fire of urgency in their blood.

"Hurry. Sammy isn't gonna last long."

...

"Come on, Sammy. Talk to me. Um...what classes did you take at school?"

Dean was desperate. He was trying so hard to keep Sam awake for as long as he could manage it, afraid that once more Sam would go to sleep and not wake up.

Sam's eyes were drooping, having been up for most of the day, a record for him considering the last week or two.

"I...uh...law mostly. I-I..." Sam yawned. "...took some english courses, science courses, math courses. The usual. I wa-was g-gonna b-be a lawyer."

Dean's eyebrows rose. "A laywer? Seriously? A Winchester going into law." Dean chuckled. "That's just nuts."

Sam pried his eyes open, gazing at Dean, solemnly for a moment. "I was hoping to be able to help you and dad. You know...s-stay out of t-trouble..."

Dean grew serious, considering that, fighting his rising emotions. "That's awesome, Sammy."

Sam managed a half-smile, falling asleep once more. "Jerk."

"#$%^." Dean sighed. "Rest, Sammy. I'll be here when you wake."

"Da!"

Ellie's small voice had Sam fighting to keep his eyes open once more, managing with great effort to turn onto his other side, towards where his daughter was sitting, playing with her toys.

Now she was watching him, however, her hands reaching out to offer him one of her books, a favorite of Sam's from when he was young, Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss.

"Re!"

Sam felt exhausted just thinking about staying awake long enough to read the entire book through. Yet...

_What if this is my last time awake? What if...what if I die? _

Dean was watching him, concerned, just about to offer to read the book himself, when Sam reached out for it, motioning Ellie to come closer and sit right next to him.

He opened the book, smiling slightly as Ellie smiled brightly at simply the first page.

His deep voice drifted around the room as he began to read, Dean sitting down in his chair to listen as well.

"The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house. All that cold, cold, wet day..."

...

Sam was waning fast.

The days passed, Sam beginning the cycle that Dean was now familiar with and dreaded. Sleeping longer, eating less, beginning to spend more time sleeping than he spent awake.

Sam was giving it all he had, fighting with every breath he took, but as much as Dean loved his baby brother and was proud of him, he had to admit to himself that they didn't have long left.

Sam knew it too.

...

"Dean."

Sam's soft, weak voice reached Dean from the doorway, where he was standing, preparing to leave to get some food for his two charges.

"Yeah, Sammy."

"I...I need you to promise me something."

Dean's heart dropped to his toes.

_Please, Sammy. Please don't ask me what I think you're going to ask me._

"What?"

He had to ask anyway.

"If...If I don't...don't make it..."

"Don't talk like that, Sam! You'll be fine. You're not giving up on me, Sam!"

Sam's voice was desperate. "I'm not, Dean, I'm not giving up, but...we both know I-I'm getting weaker each day, each _hour_. I don't have long left. I...I ne-need you to p-promise me th-that you'll t-take c-care of Ellie."

"Sammy..."

"Please." Sam's soft voice was pleading, _begging_ him. "Please, Dean. I'm not giving up on you, b-but I-I ha-have to _know_."

Dean hesitated a moment, his head dropping to his chest, fighting tears. _I can't lose you, Sammy._

"I promise, Sam. I'll take care of her. But if you die on me, I swear I-" Dean cut off, not even sure of what he could say. Sam would be dead. What would it matter?

Dean turned around and practically ran out of the room, dropping to his knees in the kitchen and breaking down in silent sobs.

_I don't know if I can do this. _

_I can't lose him. _

_Please. _

Desperation did powerful things to a man and Dean had nothing left to him.

_Please, God. _

_I know Sam believes in You and that's enough for me._

_Please don't take him from me. _

_Please._


	16. Chapter 15

Hey all! Sorry I didn't post yesterday (earlier today?), but it was (is?) my birthday, so I was celebrating with my roommates... :) I hope you all have enjoyed this story. I have a lot of things in the works, so for those of you who have requested a verse out of this: I am considering it, but it might be awhile, because I have some plans for other stories that I am very excited about, that I hope _everyone_ will be excited about. :)

Anyway...here's the chapter!

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><p>John maintained the upmost focus as he approached the house they had spent the last week trying to find.<p>

Mark Harris was in that house. He was the cause of all this suffering.

John wouldn't let it happen any longer.

Some part of him was glad that Bobby and Pastor Jim were with him. He was less likely to outright shoot the kid with the two of them there, though it was mighty tempting to do just that considering the horror he had had to witness the last few weeks, watching his youngest son waste away, taking his older brother and daughter with him unintentionally.

Forcing his mind back to the hunt, John nodded to the two hunters on either side of him, then kicked the front door down, storming into the house.

He was going to end this today one way or another.

...

Sam was almost gone.

Dean was frightened by how fast Sam was fading away, despite his fight against it. Some days it felt like trying to swim up a waterfall, trying to hold back a stampeding herd of cattle with a whisper.

"Come on, Sammy. They'll get this jerk soon. I promise. You just have to hang in there."

...

The creature was in the corner.

John noticed this even as he and his two friends exchanged gun fire with a cornered Mark Harris in his basement.

The creature was nearly invisible, engulfed in the shadows, part of the darkness one moment, visible and raging against its invisible bindings the next.

It was ticked off.

Mark clearly had no idea what he had called on. That or he didn't care. Neither boded well for the young hunter.

John ducked as Mark took another shot at him.

"Please, Mark. We don't need to do this! Just give up. We just want to keep you from hurting Sam." Pastor Jim called out in a temporary cease fire as the hunters reloaded and resettled.

John forced himself not to comment.

Mark didn't answer for a moment. "My family is dead." he said finally. "I'm going to get revenge, revenge for all of them. Sam is the key to that. You're all going to hurt like I am. I'm going to make you all suffer if it's the last thing I do."

"Mark!"

A shot fired ended the very short negotiations.

...

Ellie wouldn't eat.

Dean spent an hour trying to coax her, but nothing worked. It wasn't until Sam finally woke for the first time in too long and teased her, calmed her, that she let Dean feed her.

_What if Sam...how am I going to feed her? Ellie's just as stubborn as her dad. What am I going to do? _

_Please, dad. Hurry up._

...

John was running out of ammo.

A quick look at Bobby alerted the older hunter to this fact, another glance sliding towards the alter in the opposite corner from the shadowy creature alerted him to John's solution to this problem.

_Cover me _went unspoken, but was easily picked up.

John counted to three, waited for Bobby to start firing his gun faster, giving John cover fire, then took off, straight for the altar.

Even when Mark picked up on his movements and started to fire, John didn't stop.

He didn't care about anything, not the bullets, not Mark, not even his fellow hunters, at that moment. He only had eyes for the altar that's destruction would almost guarantee his son's survival.

John crashed into the altar, barely slowing down before he reached it, grabbed it, and flung it onto it's side, spilling its contents all over the floor.

Immediately, a horrific shriek filled the room.

The creature lunged forward, ignoring the other hunters and going straight for its former master.

Shrieking and screaming, Mark began to wither away right before their eyes, as the creature attacked him.

Bobby was already shouting an exorcism that should get rid of the creature, but it was too late. Even as the creature screamed its displeasure, disappearing in a puff of smoke, Mark fluttered to the floor as little more than dust.

It was over.

...

Dean was relieved, no, more like _ecstatic, _to get the call from his father.

Sam was safe. The danger had passed.

The recovery was still ahead of them, but Dean didn't really care, because Sam _could _recover now and that was all that really mattered.

_Maybe we can finally have some peace._

_Heaven knows we've earned it._

"It's over, Sammy. You're safe. It's finally over."


End file.
